A high-level seminar emphasizing the urgent need to integrate environmental considerations into peacekeeping operations has concluded at the KAIPTC in Accra.
The seminar aimed to discuss how to anticipate crises, curb emissions, and plan for more sustainable peacekeeping missions.
The event, organized by the Boutros-Ghali Observatory on Peacekeeping in collaboration with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), brought together key stakeholders from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ghana Armed Forces, and other peace and security institutions.
Participants from Ghana, Somalia, South Sudan, Algeria, Mali, the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Gabon, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States of America attended the hybrid event.
Themed “Integrating Environmental Issues into Peacekeeping Operations: Anticipating Crises, Curbing Emissions, and Planning Sustainably,” it addressed the intricate link between environmental degradation and conflict, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Discussions highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on countries in the Global South—especially African nations that significantly contribute to peacekeeping forces.
Keynote Address
Delivering the keynote address, Air Commodore David Anetey Akrong, Acting Commandant of the KAIPTC, stressed the urgent necessity of integrating environmental concerns at every phase of peace operations.
“Environmental considerations must no longer be an afterthought in peacekeeping,” he stated, adding that “they must be central to mission strategies if we are to build sustainable peace.”
Air Commodore Akrong challenged both current peacekeepers and aspiring leaders—particularly young people—to take interest, as they are the future leaders responsible for ensuring that peacekeeping operations protect not only people but also the planet.
As climate-related threats increasingly intertwine with global peace and security challenges, the Commandant underscored KAIPTC’s unwavering commitment to thought leadership in sustainable peacebuilding.
Boutros-Ghali Observatory
A researcher at the Boutros-Ghali Observatory on Peacekeeping, Clémence Buchet Couzy, in her welcome remarks, said the project—since 2017—has worked to strengthen links between French-speaking peacekeeping actors, nurture strategic thinking on the future of peace operations, and inform discussions within UN peacekeeping institutions.
“Our goal is to highlight the importance and usefulness of more actively including environmental issues in peacekeeping, both at the UN level (headquarters and mission field) and in the preparation of troop-contributing countries,” she said.
She expressed the hope that the programme would provide stakeholders with best practices that could be incorporated into environmental policy within peace support operations.
Environmental Security
Panelists referenced the 2023 withdrawal of the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) as a poignant example of how environmental and security vacuums can rapidly exacerbate instability after a mission concludes.
Participants also engaged in discussions on practical steps to reduce the ecological footprint of peacekeeping, covering topics such as incorporating climate resilience into operational planning, adopting green technologies, and enhancing coordination on sustainability policies.
Environmental Footprint
The seminar underscored the substantial environmental impact of peacekeeping operations with alarming statistics.
The United Nations estimates that peace operations are responsible for 87 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Secretariat’s activities. On a UN system-wide scale, these operations account for a significant 48 percent—or nearly half—of all UN emissions, making them the leading source of GHG emissions within the organization.
This data emphasizes the central role of environmental issues throughout the entire peacekeeping cycle—from initial planning and troop deployment to their presence on the ground and eventual withdrawal.
Addressing these issues, organisers of the forum noted, is vital for all stakeholders—including host states, troop-contributing countries, and UN institutions—to enable missions to better adapt their actions by anticipating crises, limiting emissions, and sustainably planning their legacy.
