Beach in Hithadhoo, Maldives, where many of the islands are only one metre above sea level. Getty Images
Beach in Hithadhoo, Maldives, where many of the islands are only one metre above sea level. Getty Images
Beach in Hithadhoo, Maldives, where many of the islands are only one metre above sea level. Getty Images
Beach in Hithadhoo, Maldives, where many of the islands are only one metre above sea level. Getty Images

UNGA 2021: Climate change drives security concerns in Sahel and small island states


Willy Lowry
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The destructive droughts and rising sea levels caused by climate change are directly linked to security issues in places such as the Sahel and small island nations, a UN General Assembly event co-hosted by the UAE heard on Thursday.

In the Sahel, an area that includes much of the Sahara, climate change is affecting people in unpredictable ways, driving displacement and putting a heavy strain on agricultural and water resources -- problems that can lead to violence and other acts of desperation.

“The confluence of conflict, governance issues, chronic underdevelopment, poverty, demographic pressure and the impact of climate change and livelihood is driving millions to the fringes of survival,” said Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Mauritania's minister of foreign affairs.

The event, hosted by the UAE and Denmark, explored the impact of climate change on security in the Sahel and small island developing states (SIDS) and how the international community can help.

Aminath Shauna, the Maldives minister of environment, called climate change “an existential threat” to the future of her island nation.

The vast majority of the islands that make up the Maldives are only one metre above sea level, making the country extraordinarily vulnerable to climate change. Ms Shauna said there is “no higher ground” for her people to run to.

She said her country needs access to international financing that they don’t currently have because they are considered to be a “middle-income” country.

The environment minister said that as the threat and impact of climate change has worsened, the Maldives has experienced a concerning rise in radicalisation.

“We don't have the kind of financing that we need to really put into programmes to prevent radicalisation, countering violent extremism, and issues of Covid and debt and all these things, but we also have urgent adaptation issues that we want to be addressing at home,” said Ms Aminath.

The event came hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the UN Security Council to take climate change more seriously.

“Look at almost every place where you see threats to international peace and security today and you'll find that climate change is making things less peaceful, less secure and rendering our response even more challenging,” Mr Blinken said.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank

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In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments

The name blends two words rupee and payment

Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs

GROUP RESULTS

Group A
Results

Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs

Group B
Results

Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets

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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

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Updated: September 25, 2021, 6:26 PM`