Statement by Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations Samuel Žbogar at the UNSC meeting on the threats to international peace and security—Climate and security: environmental impact of armed conflict and climate-driven security risks

Thank you Madam President.

We thank Sierra Leone for convening this important meeting and we thank you for chairing it. That demonstrates the importance that your country attaches to this topic. We also thank the briefers for their contribution and recommendations.

Colleagues,

It is common to all armed conflicts that they scar not only people, but also the planet. It is therefore vital that the link between Environment, Peace and Security gains stronger traction in the work of this Council, as also called by the briefers earlier.

I have three messages today.

My first message is about the devastating impact of environmental harm on civilians hurting the most vulnerable amongst them the most. The harm is immediate, and the reverberating effects echo for generations.

In Gaza, children struggle each day to find clean water, exposed to disease as they drink from muddy reservoirs. As we heard from USG Andersen, the recent conflict has led to almost complete destruction of critical ecosystem, pollution and waste.  

In Ukraine, farmers watched their fields drown after the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, facing not only the loss of harvests but the long-term contamination of soils and livelihoods.

In Lebanon, women striving to rebuild their lives after years of hostilities amid the ashes of wildfires that have destroyed farmlands and soils.

And in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, generations of families try to cultivate fields contaminated by unexploded remnants of war, risking their health and their lives with every planting season.

These are just some among stories which remind us that protecting the environment during the war actually means protecting civilians. It also helps with a faster post-conflict reconstruction.

International Humanitarian Law is not optional. As explained very comprehensively by Professor Jalloh, it is an obligation erga omnes.  

My second message is on freshwater resources. In conflict, water is often among the first victims. Lakes are poisoned, rivers diverted, water infrastructure dismantled. Freshwater reserves become contaminated and wetlands are destroyed.

This is why Slovenia, together with partners, launched the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts, with a special focus on protecting water systems that sustain life and peace.

The Alliance, recognized as an example of good practice in the SG’s Report on the Protection of Civilians, has carried out extensive awareness-raising efforts, including an Arria-formula meeting of this Council in May this year.

But awareness of policy-makers is only the first step.Armed forces must be properly trained to ensure compliance with IHL.

Rules of war cannot be interpreted permissively. As a Co-Chair of the work stream on civilian infrastructure in the framework of the ICRC’s Global Initiative on international humanitarian law, Slovenia strives to mobilize concrete action.

My final message today is on prevention. We may be discussing environmental impacts, but Madam President, there is so much more we are actually touching upon.

It is about human rights, including the right to clean drinking water and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. When people have their rights, peace is more lasting and more just.

It is also about climate action. Countries affected by conflict are less able to adapt or mitigate. They lose forests, wetlands and water systems, the very ecosystems that store carbon and sustain life. They lose precious opportunities to build resilience, which leaves them even more exposed to future conflict.

Madam President, distinguished colleagues,

We are living in the 21st century, an era defined by scientific progress and evidence-based understanding. We cannot disregard facts simply because they do not align with our preferred narratives. We must strive to do better. And the Security Council must do better in its response to the environmental impact of armed conflicts.

Thank you.

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