As the climate emergency escalates, so are efforts to securitize climate change. Will securitizing the climate crisis become a catalyst or a substitute for addressing it? And how will that affect shrinking civic space globally?
This event will launch new research at LSE that draws on lessons from the war on terror to explore both the risks of securitizing climate change for the future of civic space and human rights and the opportunities to prevent them and elevate alternatives. The panel will discuss the crackdown on environmental protest and climate activism around the world and the emergence of dangerous narratives around climate change, national security, and migration.
Meet the Speakers
Nathan Akehurst is a writer and researcher, and advises on campaigns and communications. His work specialises in the intersections between climate change, migration, human rights and security. He has a forthcoming book on European border policy being released in 2025, holds an Erasmus Mundus MSc in Global Development Policy, and volunteers in civil sea rescue.
Michel Forst was elected as the world’s first UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, in June 2022, and currently holds this mandate. His dedication to the protection of defenders led him to convene the First World Summit on Human Rights Defenders, as its Secretary General. He was later elected as the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders (2014-2020). He has extensive experience in human rights and held several leading positions including Secretary General of the French National Human Rights Institution and General Director of Amnesty International.
Poonam Joshi is the Director of the Funders Initiative for Civil Society. She has extensive experience working on a range of human rights issues and across several geographies including MENA, South Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining FICS, she was the Executive Director of the Sigrid Rausing Trust, and Director of the European Office for the Fund for Global Human Rights.
Iavor Rangelov is Research Fellow at the Conflict & Civicness Research Group, LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Co-Founder of the Civic Ecosystems Initiative. His current research explores and elevates the role of civic ecosystems and social innovation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, conflict and crises.
Marika Theros is Policy Fellow at the Conflict & Civicness Research Group, LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Director of the Civic Engagement Project. Her current research and advocacy apply an ecosystem approach to political mobilization, global-local dynamics, and process design for social change movements and organisations.
Meet the Chair
Mary Kaldor is Professor Emeritus of Global Governance and Director of the Conflict & Civicness Research Group, LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has pioneered the concepts of new wars and global civil society. Her elaboration of the real-world implementation of human security has directly influenced European and national governments. She is the author of many books including New and Old Wars: Organised Violence in a Global Era (3rd edition, 2012), International Law and New Wars (with Christine Chinkin, 2017) and Global Security Cultures (2018).
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