On Wednesday 28 June, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted a joint communication setting out how the EU should address the growing impact of climate change and the environment on peace, security and defence.
Speaking to the media, the Vice-President responsible for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and the High Representative, Josep Borrell, highlighted the growing implications of the climate crisis for global security.
Mr Timmermans stressed that the consequences of climate change, such as “population displacements”, “conflicts over water” and land, and competition for limited resources, were already a reality. He cited the example of the Sahel as a sensitive area “where climate change is aggravating conflicts between farmers and herders”, creating a “dynamic that is exploited by radical groups”.
Mr Borrell also stressed the link between high-intensity climatic incidents and unrest in certain regions of the world. He warned that “a billion people could have insufficient access to water”, that soil degradation “could reach 90%”, and that competition for resources could lead to tensions and conflicts.
Mr Timmermans and Mr Borrell stressed the need for a proactive and comprehensive approach to these challenges, integrating climate issues into security analysis, planning and operations. According to the adopted communication, it is also essential to integrate the link between climate and security into the analysis of regional and national conflicts, in order to operationalise the response to climate and security challenges within the framework of the EU’s external action.
At the same time, strengthening climate adaptation and mitigation measures in Member States’ civilian and military operations and infrastructures, while maintaining operational efficiency and reducing costs and the carbon footprint, is one of the key priorities.
Finally, the consolidation of international partnerships, with players such as NATO, in multilateral fora, in line with the EU’s agenda on climate change and the environment, constitutes the last lever for action.
The European Commission’s communication supports the importance of taking climate change into account as a threat to national and international security, and calls for concerted measures to prepare societies and ensure Europe’s future security.
The publication of this joint communication recognises the link between climate change, environmental degradation, peace, security and defence, and underlines the importance of collective action to address these global challenges, according to the Commission.
Read the communication: https://aeur.eu/f/7sk (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)