Security risks from climate change and environmental degradation: implications for sustainable land use transformation in the Global South

Abstract

Climate change and environmental degradation remain the most complex challenges that present and future generations of humankind face and raise several security risks that have received relatively little attention in the literature. This paper aims to review the evidence of security risks arising from these challenges in the Global South and to provide forward-looking perspectives on how to increase the resilience of affected individuals and communities. We see diverse land use strategies as a key element to drive a transformation towards greater sustainability and resilience. We propose that rural land use in the Global South should be geared towards the promotion of resource and biodiversity conservation, the development of agroforestry, tree-based farming systems, the diversification of crops, and the utilization of climate-resilient cultivars, and neglected and under-utilized plants. These actions would contribute to addressing the security risks stemming from the interconnected challenges of climate change and environmental degradation.