Why would the UN Security Counsil be involved in deliberating Global Warming. Now that is a question many people have asked themselves. Why the Security Counsil, in particular? Brett D. Schaefer and Ben Lieberman have looked into this and have reached a conclusion that is difficult to disprove or disagree with.

The Security Council should not be deliberating global warming. The purpose of the Security Council is clearly laid out in the U.N. Charter, which confers on the Security Council “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” The security implications of climate change are speculative at this point and, even if they result as predicted, would not pose an immediate threat for decades. The projected threats of global warming do not rise to the level of Security Council consideration.

The decision to raise the issue in the Council is troubling considering that such a step is often a prelude to a Council decision or resolution. A Council decision is the sole venue capable of compelling states to adopt actions to address global warming—something that should not be contemplated without greater certainty and evidence of urgency.

While it is possible that the consequences of global warming may one day become a threat to international peace and security, the science and predicted outcomes remain subject to considerable uncertainty, and the proposed solutions raise problems of their own. Until these uncertainties are resolved, global warming will not be ripe for Security Council deliberation. The resources and attention of the Council are better spent on pressing crises.