How Non-Traditional Security Challenges Undermine the UN Sustainable Development Goals

At the 2015 United Nations meeting, world leaders boldly committed to implementing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure prosperity for all. However, a new class of threats is quietly undermining this global agenda as this timeline comes to an end. Instead of the traditional security concerns of wars and military conflicts that dominated the 20th century, these are new threats that make it hard to distinguish between security and development.

A vast array of interconnected threats, including resource scarcity, pandemics, forced migration, climate change, and cybersecurity threats, are collectively referred to as “non-traditional security challenges.” Unlike conventional military threats, these issues are transnational in nature, affecting multiple countries simultaneously, and they require cooperative rather than competitive solutions. They pose a particular threat to the SDG framework because of their potential to have cascading effects that compromise multiple development goals simultaneously.

The Climate Security Challenge

Perhaps the biggest non-traditional security threat to the SDGs is climate change. Among the security concerns linked to climate change are effects on food, water, and energy supplies, increased competition for natural resources, loss of livelihoods, climate-related disasters, and forced migration and displacement (UN Environment Programme, n.d.). This reality directly contradicts the objectives of a number of SDGs, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Non-traditional security issues, such as climate change, are caused by human-induced disturbances of the delicate natural balance. These disruptions have serious consequences for states and societies, and they are often very difficult to reverse or repair (Modern Diplomacy, 2022). Because climate security is irreversible, it presents a unique threat to long-term development goals. When prolonged droughts force farmers off their ancestral lands or when rising sea levels permanently uproot entire island communities, the foundation of sustainable development is compromised.

Because of the interdependence of climate impacts, a single extreme weather event could potentially threaten multiple SDGs at the same time. Hurricane-induced flooding, for example, can destroy infrastructure (SDG 9), contaminate water sources (SDG 6), uproot populations (SDG 11), and push vulnerable families back into poverty (SDG 1). These cascading effects demonstrate why traditional development approaches that treat goals in isolation are insufficient in the face of climate security challenges.

Digital Threats in an Interconnected World

As the world becomes more digitally connected, cybersecurity has emerged as a major non-traditional security issue with important implications for sustainable development. Digital development cannot continue without cybersecurity (New America, n.d.). This harsh reality challenges the hopeful principles of SDGs 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Persistent cyberattacks will worsen conflicts and undermine confidence in both domestic and international organizations, thereby impeding the advancement of all objectives (Cyber Peace Institute, 2023). When cybercriminals target healthcare systems, they may not only steal data but also endanger SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Targeting financial institutions puts the economic stability necessary for SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) in jeopardy. An excellent illustration of how cyberattacks can swiftly reverse years of advancement in the development of health systems is the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack, which destroyed hospitals across multiple countries.

The digital divide exacerbates this issue. While developed nations invest heavily in cybersecurity infrastructure, developing countries often lack the resources needed to protect their newly emerging digital systems. As a result, there is a worldwide weakness that proficient cybercriminals can exploit, possibly preventing progress in the most susceptible regions.

Pandemic Disruption of Development Progress

The COVID-19 pandemic was a prime illustration of how health security concerns can compromise the goals of sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the achievements of the SDGs and had negative impacts on food access, consumption, agricultural systems, and food security stability (Adhikari et al., as cited in PMC, n.d.). This disruption was more than just temporary; it dealt a serious setback to the progress of world development.

Most impacted will be SDGs 1, 2, and 10, which deal with poverty, food security, and inequality; COVID-19 is predicted to make inequality both within and between countries worse (The Nutrition Society, n.d.). The pandemic pushed an estimated 100 million people back into extreme poverty, wiping out years of progress on poverty reduction. School closures affected more than 1.6 billion students, potentially endangering SDG 4 (Quality Education) for an entire generation.

What made the pandemic so devastating was its ability to simultaneously target multiple development pillars. It was a combination of social, educational, and economic problems rather than merely a health crisis. The failure of small businesses caused disruptions to local economies. Overworked healthcare systems reduced access to necessary medical services. Social distancing policies isolated vulnerable groups, which worsened mental health outcomes.

The Interconnected Nature of Security and Development

These instances highlight a basic reality that the world community is just now starting to understand. The 2030 Agenda recognizes that sustainable development and peace and security are interdependent and that neither can be achieved without the other, according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.). This insight represents a significant shift from traditional development theory, which often treated development and security as separate domains.

Non-traditional security challenges expose the artificiality of this separation. Climate change-induced mass migration presents challenges for both security and development. When cyberattacks disrupt critical infrastructure, they jeopardize national security as well as economic growth. When pandemics overwhelm healthcare systems, social progress and human security are at risk.

Moving Forward: Integrated Approaches

The increasing evidence that non-traditional security challenges threaten the SDGs points to an urgent need for more integrated approaches to global governance. Traditional development strategies that focus on individual goals in isolation are inadequate when dealing with issues that simultaneously span multiple industries and borders.

If the SDGs are to be accomplished, it will be important to acknowledge that security and development are complementary needs rather than competing priorities. Climate adaptation must be incorporated into infrastructure development. Cybersecurity must be a part of digital development programs. Being ready for pandemics must be a key component of strengthening the health system.

This integrated approach necessitates unprecedented cooperation between historically disparate sectors and institutions. Defense ministries must work with development agencies. Education reformers need to collaborate with cybersecurity professionals. Climate scientists and urban planners must work together.

Can We Still Save the 2030 Promise?

As the Sustainable Development Goals deadline of 2030 draws near, the world community is faced with a sobering reality. Rather than being incidental threats to progress, non-traditional security issues are significant obstacles that have the potential to swiftly reverse years of progress. Given pandemics, cybersecurity risks, climate change, and other emerging concerns, we need to fundamentally reevaluate our approach to global development.

The next cyberattack is already being planned. The next global warming disaster is already underway. The pathogen that will cause the next pandemic might already be developing. With less than six years until 2030, will world leaders recognize that security and development are no longer separate battles to be fought but rather one combined fight for humanity’s future?

Our choice is becoming more and more urgent every day: either we embrace integrated approaches that recognize security and development as essential components of human advancement, or we keep treating them as separate problems and watch as non-traditional threats consistently undermine our development objectives. The stakes are high for the future of the SDGs and the billions of people they are meant to assist. Time is running out. Will we act before it’s too late?

Laiba Najam , Iqra University H9 Campus.6^th semester 

References

• Cyber Peace Institute. (2023, January 18). Cyber Peace & the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). https://cyberpeaceinstitute.org
• Modern Diplomacy. (2022, November 13). Climate change as an emerging non-traditional security challenge: A way forward. https://moderndiplomacy.eu
• New America. (n.d.). Digital development without cybersecurity is unsustainable. https://newamerica.org
• (n.d.). COVID-19 pandemic impacts on agricultural systems and food security. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• The Nutrition Society. (n.d.). Food security and the COVID-19 pandemic. https://nutritionsociety.org
• UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (n.d.). Sustainable development and peace and security. https://sdgs.un.org
• UN Environment Programme. (n.d.). Climate change and security risks. https://unep.org