The World Climate and Security Report (WCSR) 2021 from the Expert Group of the International Military Council on Climate and Security is a global assessment of the security dimensions of a changing climate and effective means to address them. It is intended to inform timely climate and security policy and action, and builds upon the analysis in the first WCSR, released in February 2020.

To that end, in addition to deep dive risk assessments of Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, this second edition of the WCSR provides concrete tools to help policymakers begin that transition, as they work to assess and address climate security risks and opportunities. Key among them is a first of its kind Climate Security Risk Matrix methodology, which evaluates comparative risk among countries.

The report also includes a comprehensive assessment of existing climate security practices, and the findings from the second annual Climate Security Risk Perception Survey of top climate security experts. Both will assist policymakers in evaluating and prioritizing next steps needed to both prepare for and prevent climate security phenomena, defined as “climate change-exacerbated events that affect global security, including the security environment, security institutions or security infrastructure” both at civilian and military level.