India and Russia are the only countries opposed to the draft resolution; China abstains.

The draft resolution proposed by Ireland and Nigeria aims to enable the Security Council to hold regular discussions on climate change with regard to its effects on peace and conflict around the world. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has so far been the most suitable UN forum for discussing all issues relating to climate change, with more than 190 members meeting several times a year, including at the two-week annual conference at the end of the year. this.

A less discussed aspect of climate change is its effects on international peace and security or the direct effects of climate-related food and water scarcity, loss of land or livelihoods or migration. Sponsors and supporters of the draft resolution argued that this would affect the UN field missions deployed to maintain peace and security and that it should therefore be brought before the Security Council.

India, China and Russia opposed the move from the start, arguing that Security Council intervention on climate change would undermine the UNFCCC process and have a disproportionate influence on some developed countries in climate change decision-making.

India stated its decision to vote against the draft resolution, saying the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change had provided a “detailed and fair structure” with equal votes for each country and a fair recognition of the “national circumstances” of each country.

#IndiaUNSC

Today India votes against it #UNSC A draft resolution with the aim of safeguarding climate protection and undermining Glasgow’s hard-won consensus agreement.

See the explanation of vote for the permanent representatives Embed the tweet ️ pic.twitter.com/jXMLA7lHnM

– India at UN, NY (IndiaUNNewYork) December 13, 2021

“This (UNFCCC process) addresses the urgent needs of developing countries and the obligations of industrialized countries. It tries to strike a balance between mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology, transport and capacity building, “said India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti and others.

“We must therefore ask ourselves what we can do together within the framework of this draft resolution that we cannot achieve within the framework of the UNFCCC process,” said Tirumurti. “Why does someone need a UN Security Council resolution to take action against climate change when we have commitments for specific climate protection measures under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change? The honest answer is that there is no real demand for this resolution other than to bring climate change within the scope of the Security Council, and the reason is that decisions can now be taken without the involvement of most developing countries and without unanimous recognition. “

“And all of this can be done in the name of maintaining international peace and security.”

Let’s get this problem straight. Currently, decisions on climate change are solicited from the broader international community represented in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and are instead presented to the Security Council. Ironically, many members of the Security Council have made significant contributions to climate change through historical emissions. Should the Security Council adopt this question, some countries would be free to decide on all climate-related issues. This is clearly undesirable and unacceptable. “

Tirumurti said the draft resolution has the potential to “sow the seeds of discord among members of the larger United Nations”.

“This draft resolution is a step backwards from our shared determination to fight climate change. The aim of this draft resolution is to transfer this responsibility to a body that does not work by consensus and does not reflect the interests of developing countries, “he said.