Compliance with climate commitments promotes peace and security

In an opinion adopted at its January plenary session, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) addressed the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on peace, security and defence. The Committee stresses the urgent need to invest in setting up resilient responses to these global challenges. The Committee's position is that it is imperative to continue integrating the climate and security nexus by creating proactive interfaces between the institutions responsible for both external relations and the Member States' security and defence services.

It is paramount to understand the complex links within the climate and security nexus given that climate change and environmental degradation are global challenges whose dynamics, in combination with agricultural, water and infrastructure vulnerabilities, can affect people in many countries. The end result could well be that they fuel social, economic, institutional and political destabilisation.

Given that the fundamental mission of the EU project is to promote and preserve peace, Europe needs to step up its peace-building efforts. It must ensure that it has the resources needed to bolster its capacity in terms of security, humanitarian aid and international cooperation.

Ozlem Yildirim, EESC member and rapporteur for the opinion, said that "Faced with this worrying situation, the EESC's opinion begins by referring to the EU's fundamental principles of promoting peace and human rights".

In the opinion, the EESC stresses that promoting peace is inextricably linked to the preservation and promotion of fundamental rights and democracy. Therefore, the Committee's position is that it is imperative to continue integrating the climate and security nexus by creating proactive interfaces between the institutions responsible for external relations, internal EU cohesion and the Member States' security and defence services.

Ms Yildirim added that "The EESC is also proposing specific measures to anticipate effectively, in particular by investing in resilient responses, preparing decision-making processes for the tensions to come, and above all establishing a real strategy on this issue at EU level. Prompt and effective compliance with climate commitments by all parties is also an important preventive lever!"

Furthermore, the EESC points out that incorporating permanent dialogue with the scientific community and civil society organisations would enable the EU to adapt its policies, particularly in line with advances in scientific research, as the climate and environmental situation deteriorates.

These efforts should factor in contributions from research and innovation on resilience, thus improving both the foresight and effectiveness of EU action.

The European Commission's proposal takes account of the climate and security nexus. However, the EESC feels that the document falls short of establishing geographical, political and military parameters, as it fails to touch on the evolving nature of this nexus, when in fact the situation is going to deteriorate and may lead to serious tensions between the Member States.

The opinion points out that the Commission and the Member States need to have a permanent specific dialogue on the climate and security nexus. This is particularly true in view of the fact that the threats posed, particularly security and military ones, can only be dealt with by the relevant ministries of each Member State. The Member States should anticipate the malicious use of the environment and climate change as a weapon of war in order to prepare for these strategic developments. Proper coordination between the different levels and services in Europe is fundamental and can be an opportunity for improved cooperation.