Climate security the new cyber security

Climate security generally refers to the security risks induced that can be both national and international that are caused due to changes in the climate. The concept of climate security is based on the fundamental incentive of protecting societies from the dangers that climate change can expose us to, including the threat to human security, as well as a threat to ecosystems, economy, and infrastructure.

In our societies today, issues such as climate change have become quite widespread. It’s all over the news and media and we are witnessing it in our day-to-day lives in many parts of the world. Therefore, sustainability-oriented initiatives such as climate security are becoming more and more important to ensure the healthy survival of the planet and its people and if we do not pay attention to it even now, our future here is at stake.

So in this article, we will be talking about climate security in general, and discussing various topics that surround it such as the role that can be played by companies and the need to reduce climate risks.

Why must companies take climate risks seriously?

The climate risks that our planet is faced with today are paving way for a lot of difficulties not only in terms of environmental sustainability but in other aspects as well. As a consequence, it is only natural to assume that the consequences that will follow if these climate risks aren’t dealt with promptly will be deadly for the complexion of the entire society. Individuals, governments, and societies all will suffer and many industries will collapse. Companies and businesses would be at very high risk due to the inevitable instability in the economy which is why it is so important for companies to take serious action. Not only this, another major reason why companies must take climate risks seriously is because of the fact that they have to offer most of the accountability for creating havoc on our planet in several ways with climate accelerating climate change being one of them. On a daily basis, businesses and companies release tons and tons of greenhouse gas emissions because of their production processes which itself is a major culprit behind climate change.

If you didn’t know already, greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide that are released due to industrial processes notably the burning of fossil fuels damage the ozone layer by creating holes in them. This ozone layer is essentially supposed to protect Earth from harmful rays. The damage caused has messed up with the potential of the ozone layer to perform this task which results in a lot of sunlight reaching our planet, heating it, causing glaciers to melt, and giving birth to modern-day problems like urban flooding.

However, as mentioned prior, climate risk is not only inviting environmental destruction but many other things. A notable example is that of international conflicts. Many experts suggest that climate change is likely to exacerbate existing tensions between countries. It can act as a harsh catalyst for violent conflict and put the lives of millions across the globe at stake due to conflict between powerful governments. There are a variety of different reasons that could provoke these conflicts such as resource scarcity. As production of many food items and other natural resources will be negatively affected due to climate change, states with more wealthy economies will strive to get cess to the limited resources available and in doing so conflicts would arise. In such cases, wars are only inevitable and all of us are aware that in such destructive conditions civilians suffer most. Businesses crash and the impacts last for several years.

Climate change’s impact as a security threat is expected to be much worse for developing countries especially.

This does however not, of course, imply that international conflicts are only caused by climate factors or that these climate factors alone would be responsible for such conflicts but it can add fuel to fire.

All of these factors combine to provide an answer to the question mentioned above: why must companies treat climate risks as seriously as cyber security?

Another important point useful to consider here is that while this threat to security is a major factor that can not go ignored or its severity underestimated in any sense, it is also a possibility that the climate action triggered as a consequence of climate risks can lead to countries exploring sustainable resource alternatives such as renewable energy. This will not only block ways to conflict over resources in the future but would also resolve conflicts that are currently going on. From an environmental perspective as well, many benefits would be obtained for example dependency on non-renewable sources such as the burning of fossil fuel for energy production would reduce, therefore limiting greenhouse gas emissions which is a major culprit behind many environmental destructions.

However, this can be made possible only if government officials and sustainability organisations take prompt action and raise awareness on this matter. Through knowledge and information, we may safeguard our planet and its people but it will require a lot of work and dedication to the cause.

How can companies reduce climate risks?

As we discussed earlier, it’s vital that companies start taking climate risks very seriously. This climate risk management can take place in a lot of productive ways. Some of them can be summarised as follows:

• Finding sufficient expertise. In order to deal with climate risk and associated problems, you must have someone with a sustainability-oriented mindset who is equipped with all necessary tools on board!
• ​Never underestimate the significance of the research. Gather useful data, analyse it, draw patterns and make impactful decisions based on it. All ideas and initiatives must be backed up with factual information as the opposite invites failure! ​
• Determine the kind of tools you will be needing for tasks such as climate risk reporting so that you are prepared beforehand
• Stop partnering with companies involved in unsustainable practices that threaten the wellbeing of our planet and course do not engage in them yourself either

We hope that this article has proven to be a resourceful guide helping you understand more about climate risks and the threats associated with it.

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