Joint press statement on the situation in Libya

We, the Security Council signatories of the Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace, and Security – Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Panama, and my own country, the United Kingdom – take this opportunity, ahead of the Security Council meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya, to reaffirm our collective call to address the country’s interlinked climate change, peace and security challenges.

Libya faces extreme climate stressors, exacerbating fragility. Climate-driven water scarcity, rising temperatures and extreme floods lead to livelihood decline, fuelling conflict by intensifying resource competition and increasing displacement. As one of the world’s most water-stressed countries, less than 2% of Libya’s land is viable for agriculture. With rainfall projected to decrease 7% by 2050, these pressures will intensify.

Against this backdrop, we highlight three key messages:

First, we urge Libyan actors to resume a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process as soon as possible. The current deadlock is hindering the country’s ability to anticipate, manage and respond to climate shocks. If unresolved, these divisions will heighten climate risks and create space for exploitation by armed actors. We urge the Libyan authorities to embed climate-related peace and security risk management into a unified national budget and planning system, grounded in inclusive, community-driven and gender responsive decision making.

Second, we recognise the critical role of civil society and local authorities in advancing innovative climate action. We thank the UN Support Mission in Libya for supporting these efforts, including through the EcoVision: Libya Youth Climate Challenge 2026. We encourage the Libyan authorities to prioritise support for youth and women-led initiatives, recognising their central role in building resilience. These efforts should be underpinned by climate-security assessments that include border communities, municipalities, and displacement-prone areas, reflecting local circumstances, and reducing risks of marginalisation and onward displacement.

Third, stronger disaster risk governance and climate finance readiness are essential to prevent future crises. The 2023 Derna disaster remains a powerful reminder of the cost of inaction. We welcome the establishment of Libya’s National Emergency and Crisis Management Centre and encourage it to develop a multi-hazard early warning system. We also support the creation of a country-wide climate risk registry to guide reconstruction, land use planning and water management. We call on international partners to support the establishment of a national climate finance taskforce, and to help Libya meet the criteria needed to access essential climate funds.

Finally, we encourage the integration of Libya’s climate-related fragility into regional security and cooperation frameworks.