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Scientific uptake in United Nations Security Council debates on climate change and security

Author

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  • Nina Uexkull

    (University of Konstanz
    Uppsala University)

  • Halvard Buhaug

    (Peace Research Institute Oslo
    Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Concerns about adverse security implications of climate change have fostered a booming research agenda and have also gained increasing traction in international political fora, such as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). To what extent do policy discourses and decisions reflect the scientific understanding of the problem? Here, we assess evidence on uptake of scientific research on climate change and violent conflict in high-level UNSC debates, 2007–2022. We show that UNSC member states increasingly acknowledge climate-conflict risks as real but context-dependent, consistent with recent academic literature on the topic. Even so, views remain divided among prominent Council members, blocking progress on this matter. Explicit engagement with science on climate change and conflict, which might have helped resolve disagreements, remains rare and partly selective. We highlight challenges and opportunities for the scientific community to improve the perceived relevance and accessibility of research to stakeholders and strengthen science-policy interaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Uexkull & Halvard Buhaug, 2025. "Scientific uptake in United Nations Security Council debates on climate change and security," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(7), pages 1-15, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:178:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03970-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-03970-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nina von Uexkull & Halvard Buhaug, 2021. "Security implications of climate change: A decade of scientific progress," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(1), pages 3-17, January.
    2. Lutz Bornmann & Robin Haunschild & Rüdiger Mutz, 2021. "Growth rates of modern science: a latent piecewise growth curve approach to model publication numbers from established and new literature databases," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
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