Looking back at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference – COP28

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP28 UAE , was held from 30 November until 12 December 2023, in Dubai. HCSS was honoured to have hosted and co-hosted several events during the COP28. In this blog, we look back with strategic analyst Irina Patrahau .

HCSS participation at the COP28 aimed to highlight research methods, good practice, and findings that could support decision makers when discussing climate-related security challenges and determining the course of action for the next years.

Side Event | Panel Discussion “Political and Strategic Issues Challenging International Climate Action”

Starting on December 4, Irina Patrahau moderated the panel discussion “Political and Strategic Issues Challenging International Climate Action ”, as part of the first session of the TRENDS Research & Advisory - Atlantic Council 3rd Annual Conference on Sustainable Security: The Soft and Hard Implications of Climate Action:

https://hcss.nl/news/cop28-political-and-strategic-issues-challenging-international-climate-action-panel/

Side Event | Water-Energy-Food Security Serious Game

Together with the Arab Youth For COP Green Voices and the Netherlands Embassy in Jordan, HCSS deputy director Michel Rademaker and HCSS strategic analyst Irina Patrahau hosted an in-person moderated Serious Game on December 8, focused on the case study of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The game stimulates a situation whereby participants act as decision makers tasked with the challenge of mitigating the impact of water, energy, and food-related risks, as well as increasing the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities:

https://hcss.nl/news/cop28-water-energy-food-security-serious-game/

Side Event | Panel Discussion “The climate-extremism nexus in Iraq: challenges and opportunities for peacebuilding”

HCSS strategic analyst Irina Patrahau moderated a panel discussion “The Climate-Extremism Nexus in Iraq: Challenges and Opportunities for Peacebuilding ” on December 9. The event was organised by HCSS in collaboration with the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, & the KNMI - Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI). The event brought together Dr Saddam Waheed, Chief Engineer at the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources, and Dr Maarten van Aalst , the Director General of the KNMI to discuss challenges and opportunities associated with climate security interventions and inform smart, conflict sensitive, inclusive strategies.

During the session, Irina aimed to broaden and sharpen the understanding of challenges arising from the link between climate change and violent extremism in Iraq, as well as discuss methods and approaches to mitigate these challenges.

https://hcss.nl/news/cop28-the-climate-extremism-nexus-in-iraq-challenges-and-opportunities-for-peacebuilding-panel/

Side Event | High level panel discussion “Water for peace and security: From risk to resilience”

On December 10, HCSS strategic analyst Irina Patrahau participated in a high-level panel discussion on “Water for Peace and Security: From Risk to Resilience ”. Together with the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) partnership, the 红十字会与红新月会国际联合会 , the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the event highlighted the global issue of water scarcity as a fundamental threat to human health, peace, and security.

https://hcss.nl/news/cop28-water-for-peace-and-security-from-risk-to-resilience-high-level-panel/

Side Event | Panel discussion “Winning with Water – Tools that support conflict sensitive adaptation”

Additionally, HCSS participated in a panel discussion on “Winning with Water – Tools that support Conflict Sensitive Adaptation ” on December 10. HCSS deputy director Michel Rademaker moderated the event, while HCSS strategic analyst Irina Patrahau was one of the speakers. It was co-organised by HCSS, Deltares and Wetlands International under the umbrella of the Water, Peace & Security (WPS) partnership. The event highlighted best practices and lessons learnt from using innovative methods and tools to support timely, informed, and inclusive adaptation action in regions prone to water-related conflict by using examples from WPS engagement in Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Iraq.

https://hcss.nl/news/cop28-winning-with-water-tools-that-support-conflict-sensitive-adaptation-panel/

HCSS had three key messages for the COP:

1. Climate insecurity relates to the negative impacts of climate change on peace and security, and the extent and manner in which actors choose to respond to it. To mitigate climate insecurity, focus should be placed on both (a) accelerating the energy transition in spite of increasing global tensions; and (b) enhancing adaptation efforts to prevent and mitigate climate security risks.
2. Climate-related conflict risk is a key challenge of the next decades. Risk can be turned into resilience and opportunity for cooperation by employing comprehensive and conflict sensitive approaches to climate action. Data-driven early warning tools and causal methods that provide insights into the context-specific factors contributing to conflict risk bring significant advantages to political and community leaders when integrated with local knowledge.
3. Youth representatives are driving forces of innovation and represent major population groups in emerging economies. Their vision but also their support are essential when developing informed, integrated and inclusive solutions for climate-related challenges along the water-energy-food nexus.