Dr Kennedy Kaumba Mabuku
My experiences have shaped my understanding that in our day-to-day endeavours, there is a profound appreciation that security issues underpin humanity’s existence.
Given the gravity of this sphere, it is only fair that security discourse occupies the apex of our engagement. While security agencies are conventionally associated with national defence, internal security preservation, and protection against traditional threats, their involvement in climate resilience has yet to gain widespread acceptance not only in Namibia but also in several other countries.
In many narratives, the mention of climate change resilience often excludes security agencies, leaving them seemingly outside the scope. This discrepancy may stem from stakeholders’ need for an understanding of the integral role that security agencies can play in climate change resilience.
Therefore, this write-up aims to minutiae and dispel the preconceived notion that security agencies have little to no role in climate resilience projects.
The history of International climate agreements has seen significant milestones. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) laid the foundation for global cooperation in 1992, and the Paris Agreement in 2015 aimed to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. It emphasised the need for countries to enhance their capacity to respond to climate impacts and highlighted building resilience alongside mitigation efforts.
Subsequently, COP meetings have furthered discussions on adaptation and resilience, emphasising the need for global action to enhance resilience across diverse sectors and communities. Namibia has played a vital role in this global effort, exemplified by our Republican President, His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, who is currently leading the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) delegation in Dubai.
One of the other overarching issues faced by global practitioners and residents over the years is the impact of climate change on human survival, and excluding the security agencies will be a strategic error. With the concentration on security, which is now shifting towards human security, the state has become more human-centric, emphasising the need to address security issues affecting the survival of humanity.
Notably, the police and military clusters play a crucial role in addressing insecurity, and the fact that climate change directly threatens human security requires concerted efforts. It is now apparent that safeguarding critical infrastructure from climate-related risks is of high importance as the rising sea levels and extreme weather events have the potential to threaten certain vital installations. As such, the exclusion of security agencies on high-level decision-making on climate change issues impedes the thought of ownership, comprehension and clarity.
Moreover, climate change-induced disasters like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires necessitate rapid and coordinated responses, with security agencies often at the forefront of disaster management. Their role extends to providing essential services, ensuring public safety and facilitating the evacuation of affected populations.
Climate change can exacerbate resource scarcity, leading to high competition for water, arable land, and other essential resources. Security forces play a crucial role in addressing the impacts of climate change, particularly in extreme weather events such as flooding and drought. In Namibia, the military and the police have demonstrated their significance in mitigating the effects of these natural disasters. Their disaster response and logistics expertise is invaluable in evacuating affected populations, providing emergency shelter, and delivering essential supplies.
In times of drought, security forces, especially the police, maintain order and support affected communities. Further, the police may manage resource distribution to prevent conflicts over scarce resources and maintain law and order during challenging circumstances.
When examining these roles, while fundamentally they tend to be more reactive in nature, this compels stakeholders to ensure that when matters concerning climate change resilience are discussed, security clusters should be integral parts of these discussions. To avoid being solely reactive, given that they are responsible for managing risks, it is only fair that they are also deeply engaged in proactive climate change resilience matters.
Visualised within and beyond the presented discourse, integrating climate resilience into national security strategies become imperative, with security agencies actively participating in developing policies and addressing climate-related risks.
This ensures a comprehensive and coordinated approach to safeguarding the nation against climate threats. Effective climate-resilience demands collaboration among diverse sectors, including security agencies, environmental agencies, and disaster management organisations. Interagency cooperation facilitates the exchange of expertise, resources, and information necessary for a robust response to climate challenges and thinking about the problem strategically.
This understanding compels me to ask: In a global village grappling with climate challenges, could the true power to decode and combat climate threats lie within the strategic capabilities of security agencies together with other stakeholders?
Engrained within the preceding sentiment, there can be a deep admiration that the involvement of security agencies is no longer optional but obligatory. Integrating security agencies into high-level decision-making processes ensures a holistic and effective response to the complex challenges posed by climate change.
*Dr Kennedy Kaumba Mabuku shares these thoughts personally, independent of any security institutions. He can be reached at kennedymabuku@yahoo.com or 0814173100