At the Munich Security Conference, military spending and troop deployments dominated the agenda. But for many countries, the most present threat can’t be repelled by tanks.
Conversations about climate change were on the sidelines of the world’s premier security gathering last weekend, but it was top of mind for the small delegation of global south leaders present — and particularly urgent for leaders of small island nations.
“Climate change has become a threat to the existence of the Maldives,” said Abdulla Khaleel, the Maldivian minister for foreign affairs, during a high-level lunch. “It’s not the bombs, it’s not the terrorists. We are facing a different kind of terrorism.”