Revisiting the Securitisation of Climate Change and the Governmentalisation of Security

Abstract

This concluding chapter revisits the empirical findings against the backdrop of the theoretical approach. Part I explores the governmentalisation of security and how different climate security discourses have materialised in the case studies. It finds that while the sovereign discourse often generates attention and ‘climatises’ the security sector, the disciplinary discourse is better equipped to legitimise climate and development policies, whereas the governmental discourse incites (de-politicising) risk management approaches. Part II looks at the (powerful) political consequences of securitisation such as agenda setting, politicisation, the constitution of subject positions, objects of governance, as well as ‘security truths’, and concrete policies and practices. Finally, Part III discusses the normative implications of securitising climate change including the role of de-securitisation and alternative ways to generate political attention.