Proposed Event to Encourage Collaboration on Large-Scale Climate Action:
Briefing About a Major Climate Issue and Its Impact on Human Security Followed by Round-table Discussions

Given below is an outline of a proposed event about a major climate issue and its impact on human security followed by round-table discussions about scaling up climate action that has been proposed to the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE):

Our team at Climate Solutions Advancement Network (ClimateSAN) and the NATO Association of Canada are proposing to host an event with NATO’s CCASCOE about a major climate issue (melting glaciers causing sea-level rise) and its impact on human security, which is designed to encourage collaboration between key stakeholders to implement large-scale action on climate change.  These stakeholders would include senior people from industrial sectors with high greenhouse gas emissions such as the fossil fuel sector, the financial sector, governments and the environmental movement.  Selected stakeholders would be invited to be physically present at the event and if they cannot attend in person, they would be invited to participate online.

We are proposing to include human security experts in these briefings because we find that most people are particularly sensitive to issues that affect their personal security and that of their families.  As a result, human security experts can help focus the attention of key stakeholders on issues that climate scientists are most concerned about.  Therefore, these human security experts can help “bridge the gap between believers and doubters” on the need for large-scale action on climate change.  Based on this logic and the respect that NATO has earned in helping Ukraine oppose recent Russian aggression, we expect that senior executives from the fossil fuel industry would be interested to attend an event associated with NATO’s CCASCOE and learn from human security experts speaking at this event.  In addition, we expect this event would also raise awareness of CCASCOE and why it is such an important centre of excellence at this time.

The event would include an initial briefing by an expert panel and then discussions amongst these stakeholders at smaller round-tables.  To increase media coverage, this briefing would be promoted to the mainstream media and be simultaneously broadcast online.  The briefing would be given by experts on melting glaciers, human security, the growth of fossil fuel demand, and emission mitigation technologies that can be implemented on a large-scale.  The experts on melting glaciers would show the latest computer modeling results of the expected global sea-level rise by 2050, including if glaciers, such as the Thwaites Glacier, collapsed and then a well-respected military and intelligence expert could outline the expected impact on human security if this amount of sea-level rise did occur. 

Scientists have identified two major glacier-related tipping points that could occur in the near future.   One is the collapse of the Greenland ice sheet and the other is the collapse of West Antarctic ice sheet, which includes the Thwaites Glacier (aka Doomsday Glacier).  There has been considerable news coverage about the Thwaites Glacier since it may be the first very large glacier to collapse.  To view the information we assembled about this glacier, visit: Thwaites Glacier and Related Information.  In addition, to view information about a more broader view of rising sea levels and its expected impact on human security, visit: Rising Global Sea Levels and Its Impacts on Human Security.

In addition to inviting CCASCOE to participate in this event, we at ClimateSAN plan to invite the Modern War Insititute at West Point, the U.S. Naval War College, the US Army War College, and the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) to participate in this event.

Given below is a draft detailed outline of this proposed event:

DRAFT Panel Session about Global Sea Level Rise and Its Impact on Human Security Followed Up by Round-table Discussions about Scaling Up Climate Action

Recently, we prepared a short video of a presentation regarding increasing collaboration between key stakeholders to facilitate large-scale climate action.  To view this video along with links to all the information discussed in the presentation, visit this webpage:

Draft: Increasing Collaboration Between Key Stakeholders to Facilitate Large-Scale Climate Action  (ClimateSAN.org/icca )