The Nexus of Climate Change and Policing: Guidelines to Improve Climate Change Governance

Climate change has far-reaching consequences that go beyond the environmental, economic, social, and health sectors, influencing public safety and security considerably. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise affect law enforcement and governance, notably in disaster risk reduction and management. Climate change exacerbates current hazards and has been connected to an increase in criminal activity such as human trafficking. It also affects migratory patterns, making law enforcement activities more difficult. These difficulties highlight the critical need for context-specific measures to improve the resilience and adaptability of law enforcement organizations, particularly in developing nations. This involves strengthening law enforcement, implementing community policing techniques, and encouraging inter-service cooperation. Addressing these current circumstances needs immediate attention as well as new cross-sector solutions.