One can see—and feel—tides shifting significantly on numerous fronts across the globe, especially in the area of climate security. Opportunities and challenges abound—especially for urban communities.

But are those who shape and carry out U.S. foreign policy ready for these extraordinary changes? And how can the growing movement to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) become vital in U.S. foreign affairs?

Climate Takes Center Stage

One of the notable achievements of the November 2022 United Nations Climate Conference (COP27) in Egypt was the agreement to create a global fund intended to leverage many billions of dollars provided by developed countries to address climate change impacts in developing nations.

For the first time, an international bargain was struck to focus on the loss and damage created by climate change, encompassing the “devastating economic and non-economic losses, including forced displacement and impacts on cultural heritage, human mobility and the lives and livelihoods of local communities.” It also can be seen as a nascent global climate justice agreement—a first step to right the imbalance between the disproportionate damage that developed and more gas-producing countries have created and its impacts on developing, less-emitting countries.

Every agreement signed between nations means fewer bullets fired and less harm to people. Thus, the climate accords signed in Egypt will both enhance national security and benefit all. And they come perhaps not a moment too soon on the climate front, because the threats of extreme events is growing quickly.

For instance, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, estimates that “extreme weather events, such as abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sea-level rise and cyclones are already causing an average of more than 20 million people to leave their homes” each year. And the Institute for Economics and Peace reported that the total number of climate refugees could top one billion by the middle of this century. Such numbers are greatly destabilizing.

The Challenge of Cities

So where does urbanization come into this discussion? Many refugees come from (or end up) in urban centers. We see this occurring in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is steadily demolishing cities and cultural centers, and driving many city dwellers to seek shelter in other urban areas. UNHCR estimates the number of those fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries stands at more than 6 million, with 90 percent of them being women and children.

That human displacement has centered on cities reflects the larger currents of our societies. We live in an increasingly urban world in which growing segments of economic and cultural activity occur in cities. And while the focus of this enterprise tends to be on the major cities that serve as national capitals and economic centers, many more people now live, work, and socialize in smaller “secondary cities” that often escape the attention they deserve. In addition, many rural dwellers move to cities, primarily for the economic opportunities they offer.

In recent conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, creating a migrant crisis appears to have been an intentional strategy, and one of the outcomes is that refugees and the internally displaced increasingly end up in urban settings. Arriving under dire conditions, these marginalized populations increase the diversity of their new homes and magnify existing challenges to infrastructure and social cohesion. Yet this burgeoning diversification in urban settings also creates significant opportunities for these communities.

Meeting these challenges and opportunities requires a diplomatic and aid response that is even more focused on the intersectional nature of diverse constituencies, and focused on helping countries address the needs of increasingly disparate urban populations. Indeed, racism and other forms of discrimination can fan the flames of already explosive situations, where “otherness” puts the displaced at further risk. Conflicts in Syria and Haiti have been made worse by climate change, and multi-ethnic and indigenous populations continue to spill across borders.

 “Everyone and Everything”: Integrating DEIA in Foreign Policy

 Meeting the challenges of urbanization, refugees, and multiethnic societies is why integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) into our responses is vital to U.S. foreign affairs. Even seemingly minor misunderstandings can have grave consequences on the global stage—and preventing such situations necessitates two guiding principles in approaching international diplomacy.

The first principle is that those who serve as U.S. diplomats and development experts should reflect the diverse richness of culture, thought, and ability of our own country. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said, “When we fully leverage everyone and everything our nation has to offer, our foreign policy is stronger, smarter, and more creative.”

Second, U.S. foreign policy and assistance programs must address DEIA and advance the voice, representation, and agency of marginalized groups wherever they might be. In the words of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power: “Embedding DEIA in all that we do, with intention, will make USAID a better Agency and help show the world the best of America.”

Both agencies have responded to Executive Order 13985 by issuing Equity Action Plans and created key positions to promote equity in foreign policy and assistance. And in response to Executive Order 14035, both the State Department and USAID are integrating DEIA more fully into their internal workforces.

These actions to integrate DEIA within the U.S. diplomatic corps and into U.S. foreign policy and assistance will better equip the United States to handle current foreign policy challenges. At both State and USAID, there is widespread acknowledgment that recruiting and retaining talented and diverse individuals for the complex tasks of foreign relations improves national security and foreign policy, enhances programmatic success, and provides the world a more representative picture of the United States.

One fundamental requirement for future diplomats and development experts is the ability to “speak the language” of host country partners and civil society—literally and figuratively. The same hand gesture that means “hold on for a moment” in one culture could be seen as deeply insulting in another; not looking others in the eye might signify dishonesty or respect, depending on where you are; and a color choice that is suitable for a joyful wedding in one culture can signify mourning in another.

Similarly, programs that are sensitive to DEIA thoughtfully examine the overlapping and compounding dynamics at the intersection of personal and societal identifiers. They situate and respond to how factors such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, religion, social class, age, disability, educational level, geography, and other social factors operate within systems of power.

 An enhanced understanding of the intersecting barriers to equitable access is critical to fully achieving U.S. foreign policy objectives. And as cities become the sites of new foreign policy and security challenges, it will require new (or expanded) skills for those who work in U.S. foreign policy.  Diplomats and development experts who understand urban environments and the challenges created by social identity, and who are committed to DEIA principles at home and abroad, will be more prepared to effectively engage our partners and allies on a range of issues and advance an equitable and enduring foreign policy.