TOWARD AN INTERNATIONAL GRUNDNORM FOR CLIMATE GOVERNANCE: REDEFINING SUSTAINABILITY BEYOND TRADITIONAL SECURITY PARADIGMS

Abstract

 Climate change represents one of the most pressing global challenges, transcending traditional state-centric notions of security and demanding a paradigm shift toward environmental sustainability. Historically, security has been framed in terms of territorial integrity and political sovereignty, largely shaped by post-World War II geopolitical realities. However, contemporary threats—particularly climate change—require a redefinition of security that prioritizes ecological stability over militarized borders. The impacts of climate change are planetary in scope, affecting ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies, with anthropogenic activities being the primary driver over the past two centuries. Despite widespread recognition of the crisis, substantive progress remains inadequate. This paper argues that climate change, given its universal and existential implications, should replace traditional state security as the Grundnorm (basic norm) of international law. Drawing on scientific evidence and legal theory, the study contends that climate change necessitates a fundamental restructuring of international legal frameworks to prioritize sustainability and collective action. The analysis concludes that reconceptualizing climate change as a Grundnorm offers a transformative opportunity to realign legal and political systems toward long-term planetary survival.