2022 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development: From a Human Security Crisis Towards an Environment of Peace
Under the theme ‘From a Human Security Crisis Towards an Environment of Peace’, the 2022 Stockholm Forum explored ways to enable an environment of peace in the face of converging crises. Against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the Forum discussed long-term global challenges in the midst of the immediate security crisis. The Forum sessions paved the way for discussions at the Stockholm+50 Conference, hosted by Sweden on 1-3 June.
Fireside chat with Christophe Hodder—Stemming climate change and insecurity: The case of Somalia
In a conversation with Chris Hodder, UNSOM Climate Security Advisor, this fireside chat looked at the first years of the deployment of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). It sought to understand what the tremendous challenges Somalia is facing from climate change and insecurity and looked at what can and is being done to address them.
Environment of Peace report launch
At this session, SIPRI launched its major report Environment of Peace: Security in a New Era of Risk. The report's key findings were shared by Chair of the Environment of Peace International Expert Panel, former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström, Director of SIPRI Dan Smith, COO of Elman Peace Ilwad Elman and member of the Environment of Peace Youth Expert Panel Javeria Kella.
Opening panel: Securing peace in a new era of environmental risk
Armed conflicts are at a record high, non-state armed groups are proliferating, and the war in Ukraine has triggered the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Simultaneously, a second security crisis is raging as the impacts of rapid environmental and climate change are increasingly felt by populations around the world. Governments and decision makers are struggling to address the concurrent security and environmental crises through separate institutions and responses. However, the interlinkages between the crises call for more coherent approaches.
The opening panel of the 2022 Stockholm Forum invited us at rethinking security. It sought to understand what it is, who is it for and when and how can we achieve it. It also looked at how we can stem the climate crisis when multilateralism is being undermined by war in Europe and how policy priorities can prevent one crisis replacing another and instead tackle them simultaneously.
Spotlight presentation by Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar – Climate and civil society: Reflections from Malaysia
Climate activism, popular movements and civil society have played a fundamental role in environmental issues climbing the political agenda. In this spotlight talk, Malaysian climate activist Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar shared her insights on what climate justice is, how she is contributing to it, and what needs to change to bring it about.
Addressing the climate crisis and protecting the future of democracy
This panel addressed what could be done to enhance the ability of democratic systems to respond to the climate crisis; how can the assets democracy brings to the table be leveraged to address climate-related security issues and, conversely, how can the shortcomings that often affect its performance (e.g. short-termism, cumbersome decision-making processes, opportunities for policy capture) be mitigated? This panel paid particular attention to how democracies can better listen to and absorb proposals by young civil society actors.
Fireside chat with Margot Wallström: Creating an environment of peace
Participants joined Margot Wallström, Sweden’s former foreign minister, for a conversation about the pathways policy and action can follow to create an environment of peace. In form of a fireside chat, the session explored how climate change and other environmental crises are transforming what it means to build and maintain peace.
Turning brown to green: Ensuring a just and peaceful transition
The transitions needed to bring about a more sustainable world present both risks and opportunities for peace and security. They will impact at all levels—from the geopolitical to the local—and they need to be managed carefully to ensure a just and peaceful transition. Countries’ different energy choices come with different security implications. This panel explored the risks and opportunities for peace that arise from the transition to a greener and more sustainable future. It discussed the impacts of the transitions and how to balance economic and environmental concerns.
Spotlight presentation by Simon Marke Gran – Transformation in action: From weapon to art
More than 2000 people are injured by gunshots every day. Participants in this spotlight presentation learn how weapons can be transformed into art to contribute to peace.
Hard security perspectives on climate change: Real threat or hype?
Discussions around climate-related security risks are increasing across the full spectrum of policy communities. Military actors—from national armed forces, to alliances, as well as peace operations—have recognized climate change and the ensuing security risks, even though the solution to the problem aren’t solely, or even primarily, military.
This plenary panel brought together hard security voices from different regions and backgrounds that have recognized climate change as relevant to defence. The panel discussed the priorities for military actors in an age of climate change and a ‘new era of risk’, and how to persist in an environment where some consider climate change a hyped-up optional extra topic that can be ignored by security actors with no consequences.
Fireside chat with Stefan Löfven 'Political will and our common agenda: Limits and opportunities of multilateral action'
The incoming Chair of SIPRI, former Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, is co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism. He joined us for a fireside chat about why a more inclusive and networked multilateral system is needed to address some of the most pressing challenges of today. Peace and the environment are two critical global public goods that call for changes in governance approaches to ensure a sustainable future free from large-scale violence.
Overcoming financial barriers to women’s climate security action
Women’s civil society organizations and women activists are critical in addressing climate change and insecurity. They strive to influence decision making on land, forest and water use, and play crucial roles in peacebuilding. Yet, they are facing a host of financing, normative and security barriers. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as of 2018 only 3 per cent of climate finance was directed at women and girls. This plenary session zoomed in on how financing could reach those at the frontlines of climate–security action in conflict-affected and fragile settings.
Fireside chat with Franck Bousquet: The new International Monetary Fund fragility and conflict strategy in a changing climate
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has adopted its first ever strategy for fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS). This groundbreaking initiative was taken to enhance the fund´s efforts to provide well-tailored and longer-term support to vulnerable countries to achieve macroeconomic stability, strengthen resilience, and promote sustainable inclusive growth. In this fireside chat, Franck Bousquet, Deputy Director at the IMF, shared his insights and reflections on how IMF engagement under the FCS strategy could tackle fragility and conflict resulting from climate change and environmental degradation, including challenges and opportunities emerging in societies´ transition towards fossil free societies.
Closing panel: Climate security and development beyond the Stockholm Forum
The closing panel took stock of lessons learned over the three days of the Forum and linked innovative policy responses coming out of discussions to the objectives of the Stockholm+50 conference. The panel provided guidance on how questions of climate, security and development can be taken up at +50. Panellists further layed out how key stakeholders can work together to craft an agenda, utilizing the Stockholm Forum and Stockholm+50 with a view towards COP27 and COP28.
Live-streams of the plenary sessions at the 2022 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development are available on SIPRI's YouTube channel. Watch the 2022 Forum playlist here.
