Johnson to chair U.N. meeting on climate security By Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to chair a virtual meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 23 looking at the links between climate change and conflict and prevention measures, his U.N. ambassador said on Monday.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is due to brief the 15-member body, said Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward. Britain holds the monthly rotating presidency of the council for February.

“We want to look in particular at the threats that climate poses to conflict, to peace and security, the way in which droughts lead to famine, famine and floods can cause displacement, they can cause conflict very easily,” she said.

“So we want to explore these sorts of linkages and look at ways of preventing risks to peace and security,” Woodward said.

She said several other council members had indicated that they would also be represented by leaders at the meeting.

The Security Council is charged with maintaining international peace and security.

In 2011 the council adopted a statement expressing concern “that possible adverse effects of climate change may, in the long run, aggravate certain existing threats to international peace and security.”