SIPRI Policy Briefs

When European Union (EU) member states established the Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Com­pact, in November 2018, they committed to actively promoting a better representation of women at all levels in the missions. Although women’s representation has improved in the past decade, women remain under­-represented in all missions. One year into the implementation phase of the compact, the number and the share of women in missions have yet to increase.

When European Union (EU) member states established the Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Compact in November 2018, they committed to increasing the number and share of seconded personnel in missions. Both had been decreasing in the previous years. One year into the implementation of the compact, these trends have not yet been reversed.

This SIPRI Policy Brief analyses EU responses within its foreign and security policy to climate-related security risks, focusing on developments since the release of the 2016 EU Global Strategy.

The security implications of climate change have increasingly been debated in the United Nations Security Council. Yet, there is a growing concern by many UN member states about the lack of adequate responses to the risks that climate change poses to peace and security. In recent years, some modest but notable changes at the UN have taken place, of which the creation of the Climate Security Mechanism is the primary example.

Eight of the ten countries hosting the most multilateral peace operations personnel in 2018 are located in areas highly exposed to climate change. As such, climate change is not just an issue of human security—it is transforming the entire security landscape. Nonetheless, international efforts to build and maintain peace are not yet taking these emerging challenges systematically into account.

This SIPRI Policy Brief is the third of three papers devoted to the new external security politics of the Horn of Africa. The paper highlights how the growth of foreign military forces in the Horn is transforming the region as a security space, and identifies priorities to help the countries of the Horn to manage the new external security dynamics.

As a part of the Militarization 2.0 project, this Policy Brief examines the social media content that celebrates militarism as an important aspect of everyday social media usage and the related meaning construction overlooked by policymakers. The research results indicate that while there is an abundance of militaristic content, much of this content reaches targeted audiences.

Climate change is increasingly viewed as the world’s greatest global security risk. However, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has not consistently or systematically addressed climate-related security risks.

Climate change has far-reaching implications for human livelihoods and activities, including potential security implications. These security risks are multifaceted in nature and involve human, community, state and international security. Effective policy responses in different policy communities will be required to address these risks. As a way of strengthening their responses, many policy organizations are attempting to develop integrated policy approaches.

While securing a total of 2387 kilometre river-border from the potential trespassing of traffickers, extremists and terrorists forms part of the national security agendas of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, for the border communities living along the Amu Darya and Panj rivers, concerns stem not just from these traditional threats but from broader aspects of human insecurity: access to decent livelihoods, quality healthcare and education, and adequate water for irrigation. These everyday challenges require a rethink of the question of border security.