In Search of Consensus: Examining the Global South Perspectives on Climate Security in UNSC Debates

By comprehensively analyzing the discourse of UNSC open debates from 2007 to 2023, the study delves into the complexities of arriving at a unified Global South front on climate security. Two key questions are addressed here: to what extent do states acknowledge climate change as a security concern and how willing are states to support the UNSC’s mandate regarding the same. The article is arranged into five sections: first, a literature review on the Global North-South dichotomy; second, a conceptualization of the term ‘Global South’; third, a description of the methodology using Maarten Hajer’s argumentative discourse analysis and a new and broader definition to the idea of the ‘Global South’, fourth, primary findings with regard to the evolving stance of Global South nations, and fifth, a conclusion summarizing the implications for global climate governance.