In search of consensus: Examining Global South perspectives on climate security in UNSC debates

Abstract

This article aims to fill a critical gap in literature by examining the evolving perspectives of Global South countries (often framed as a monolithic entity), within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) debates on climate security from 2007 to 2023. Using discourse analysis, the study traces how internal divergences and convergences among these countries shape their positions on two key questions: the acknowledgment of climate change as a security issue and the endorsement of the UNSC’s role in addressing it. A key finding of this analysis is that while there is a growing consensus within the Global South that climate change poses significant security risks, there remains substantial resistance to UNSC involvement in addressing these risks. The article concludes that the Global South, as a category, may have limited utility in understanding the role of the UNSC in climate security. Instead, smaller, more focused coalitions like Small Island Developing States (SIDS) offer a more coherent and meaningful framework for understanding how states approach climate security.