World in Transition: Climate Change as a Security Risk - WBGU

focuses on the security needs of humans. Security is
no longer seen simply as ‘freedom from fear’, but also
as ‘freedom from want’. In this perspective, economic
and environmental crises or pandemics such as AIDS
are to be considered just as much as security risks as
violent conflicts and wars. Introduced by ’UNDP in
1994, the concept has since been crucial in shaping
the international security debate.
Industrialized countries
WBGU understands industrialized countries as
meaning those developed countries which are not
classed as ’developing countries or ’newly industrializing
countries. This classification is not made
primarily on the basis of the industrialization of a
national economy, but mainly according to per-capita
income. A related term is ’OECD states.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
ICZM is a dynamic, multidisciplinary and iterative
process for the sustainable management of coasts.
The goal is to reconcile the various economic, ecological,
social and cultural claims and entitlements
within the limits set by natural dynamics. The process
embraces all steps from information and data procurement
through planning and decision-making to
implementation and monitoring. Great attention is
paid to stakeholder participation in ICZM.
Integrated water resources management (IWRM)
IWRM seeks to develop and to manage water, land
or soil and the associated resources in a cross-sectoral,
participatory process in a sustainable manner.
The aim is to move beyond isolated, sectoral and inefficient
systems of use. IWRM is a relatively new concept
that has been developed and advanced mainly in
international research and water policy forums.
Interdependence
In international relations, this describes the phenomenon
of increasing global interconnections between
states, economies and societies and their growing complexity.
Complex interdependence raises the threshold
at which conflicts become violent and encourages
international cooperation. The rapid growth of international
institutions confirms this institutionalist perspective,
which is widespread in theories of International
Relations.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
If ’migration takes place within states, this may
be termed internal migration. In cases where internal
migrants are forced to leave their place of origin
for reasons that essentially also apply to refugees
within the meaning of the Refugee Convention,
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such migrants are termed Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs).
International regimes
International regimes are intergovernmental institutions
established to address transboundary issues.
They involve principles, standards, rules and decision-making
procedures, and are based upon formal
or informal intergovernmental agreements.
Key factors
Factors of importance to the emergence of violence
within the context of climate-induced environmental
changes. They serve to analyse causal interrelations
and cause-effect mechanisms within a ’conflict
constellation. The recommendations for action presented
in this report address those factors which can
be influenced by human action.
Kyoto Protocol
An agreement under international law supplementing
the ’United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change, setting greenhouse gas emissions
reduction targets for industrialized countries.
The countries listed in Annex B to the Protocol are
obliged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by
around 5 per cent from the base year 1990 in the commitment
period 2008–2012. The Protocol has been
ratified by 174 states to date. Among the Annex B
countries, the USA and Australia have not yet ratified.
Migration
’Environmental induced migration
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
The MDGs are set out in the United Nations Millennium
Declaration and encapsulate the main outcomes
of the World Conferences held in the previous
decade. The MDGs comprise a set of eight international
development goals together with a framework
of 18 targets and 48 indicators to specify and operationalize
the goals and measure progress. For most of
the goals and targets, quantitative criteria and a timeframe
were also adopted, generally to 2015 (the baseline
year is 1990).
Mitigation of climate change
Mitigation embraces all measures that either limit
greenhouse gas emissions or amplify their absorption
in ‘sinks’.
Multilateralism
Institutionalized cooperation between states in international
organizations (such as the UN) or other
regulatory mechanisms (e.g. ’conventions). Uni-
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