Rangelov, Iavor and Theros, Marika (2025) Climate emergency and the future of civic space: lessons from the war on terror. . Conflict and Civicness Research Group, LSE IDEAS, The London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
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Abstract
As the climate crisis escalates, so are efforts to securitize climate change. Climate emergency declarations and discourse are proliferating globally. Climate scientists are raising alarm about the existential threat to humanity and life on earth posed by the climate crisis. At the same time, climate security is becoming an increasingly popular frame among sections of the climate movement and a growing number of governments, militaries and corporate actors. The impetus for securitizing climate change is often about prioritizing the issue and galvanizing transformative action for mitigation and adaptation. The reality of securitizing an issue, however, is that it tends to promote and legitimate militarized and authoritarian responses. Drawing on insights and evidence from the war on terror and the spread of global counterterrorism in the past two decades, this report identifies three pathways to securitizing climate change – prioritization, militarization and authoritarianization. It explores the distinctive risks they create for the future of civic space and human rights, highlights opportunities to address these risks, and offers a set of recommendations. The report identifies six key lessons from the war on terror and considers their relevance and implications for securitizing the climate crisis and the future of civic space. It highlights inflection points in the pathways to securitizing climate change where disruption of militarized and authoritarian responses is possible and innovation can help develop and elevate alternatives. Our findings and recommendations are important beyond the defense of human rights and civic space. Militarized and authoritarian responses may divert attention and resources away from climate mitigation and climate justice, and in that process prioritization narratives and efforts may be co-opted and subverted. In other words, the risk is that securitizing the climate crisis may become a substitute rather than a catalyst for addressing it. There is a real window of opportunity right now to prevent that from happening and to advance viable alternatives.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Report) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | © 2025 The Authors |
| Divisions: | Conflict and Civil Society |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology J Political Science > JZ International relations H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Jan 2025 17:42 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jan 2025 17:48 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/127123 |
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