Revisiting National Adaptation Plans from a Climate Security Perspective: The Case of Sri Lanka/ACCSAP

The presentation examines the need for a paradigm shift from traditional national security to one that incorporates climate security as a fundamental component of human security. The study, based on field research in Sri Lanka, investigates how National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) can be restructured to explicitly address climate security concerns, moving beyond their current focus on resilience and sustainable development to include peace and security issues. Findings emphasize that NAPs have significant secondary impacts on security, especially in regions prone to resource conflicts and displacement, and suggest developing synergies between adaptation measures and security objectives at the local level, strengthening institutional cooperation, and including practical strategies that consider local security dynamics. Ultimately, the research stresses that future adaptation strategies must not only increase resilience to climate change but also contribute to long-term peace and security.

The presentation examines the need for a paradigm shift from traditional national security to one that incorporates climate security as a fundamental component of human security. The study, based on field research in Sri Lanka, investigates how National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) can be restructured to explicitly address climate security concerns, moving beyond their current focus on resilience and sustainable development to include peace and security issues. Findings emphasize that NAPs have significant secondary impacts on security, especially in regions prone to resource conflicts and displacement, and suggest developing synergies between adaptation measures and security objectives at the local level, strengthening institutional cooperation, and including practical strategies that consider local security dynamics. Ultimately, the research stresses that future adaptation strategies must not only increase resilience to climate change but also contribute to long-term peace and security.