Climate Security in the Asia Pacific under a Shifting Geopolitical Context

This symposium discussed the challenges and opportunities of climate security and examined its continued relevance under a shifting geopolitical landscape in the Asia-Pacific region. The event presented an opportunity to take stock of the activities and achievements of the Asia-Pacific Climate Security (APCS) project conducted by IGES over the past three years. Moreover, the introduction of the upcoming APCS Policy Report Series also served to disseminate and critically reflect on the findings and insights from the APCS project to domestic and international researchers, relevant policymakers, and stakeholders interested in the field of climate security.

The APCS, launched in 2023 with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, aimed to grasp the state of climate security in the region, particularly among those vulnerable to climate change impacts. The project has covered a wide range of topics - energy security, food security, human mobility, climate change adaptation, and ocean and maritime security. Amid recent developments, we have observed significant shifts in climate action and, more broadly, in the geopolitical context, including new international agreements on climate finance, the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion on climate change. The recent COP30, held in Belém, Brazil, has delivered a limited but needed step forward amid the difficult geopolitical situation. Within this dynamic landscape, climate security is of high importance as a field that contributes to continued progress in climate action. This symposium brought together relevant international researchers and policymakers, to consolidate the activities and achievements of the APCS project to date, and discuss the future outlook.