We, the Security Council signatories of the Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Panama and the United Kingdom, speak ahead of the Council's briefing on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, to reaffirm our concern over Libya's interlinked climate, peace and security challenges.
Libya continues to face converging climate and security risks, that could further undermine stability, exacerbate local conflicts over resources, and weaken state institutions if left unaddressed. This is compounded by over a decade of political fragmentation. Acute water scarcity has driven heavy reliance on fossil groundwater, while aging infrastructure undermines the Great Man-Made River system. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall strain an agricultural sector that occupies less than 2% of the land while consuming the vast majority of Libya’s water. The 2023 Derna floods remain the starkest illustration of how infrastructure and institutional division can turn climate hazards into humanitarian catastrophe. Southern Libya continues to face drought, displacement and food insecurity that disproportionately affect people in vulnerable situations.
Amid these challenges, we welcome Libya’s adoption in July 2026 of its first Strategic Climate Framework under the Paris Agreement.
We put forward four messages.
First, we encourage the Libyan authorities to integrate climate risks into national planning by strengthening coordination and institutional capacity. This ensures that climate adaptation, conflict-sensitive early warning and disaster governance are managed through a unified approach, rather than fragmented across rival authorities.
Second, we call for accelerated support to implement Libya's National Water Security Strategy (2026–2050). Launched in April 2026, the strategy offers a concrete roadmap to address aquifer depletion and infrastructure gaps, while meeting and managing demand. We urge the international community to provide sustained financial and technical support for implementation of this strategy.
Third, we call for stronger, more inclusive, local governance of shared water resources. This includes the shared Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, where women, youth, and local communities should be formally included and meaningfully represented in decision-making processes.
We also encourage continued regional cooperation and water diplomacy with neighbouring countries to manage these resources cooperatively, rather than as a source of tension.
Fourth, we call for targeted support for resilient livelihoods, for communities most exposed to climate-driven instability - in particular, in areas where climate pressures, including drought, intersect with cross-border mobility, pastoralism and trafficking networks. This support can improve livelihoods, and reduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by armed actors, criminal networks and traffickers.
We stand ready to support Libyan-led efforts and international partners in translating strategy into funded and coordinated action.
