Climate and security policy should no longer be treated in isolation

Rising temperatures, extreme weather events and resource scarcity are not just environmental concerns, but also significant catalysts for conflict. It is therefore imperative that climate and security policy be viewed as mutually reinforcing elements of a sustainable and peaceful global future.

The opinion Addressing the interdependence between peace and climate change: need for renewed global diplomacy calls for a comprehensive and integrated approach to addressing the increasing interlinkages between climate change, health, security risks and global governance.

The rapporteurs for the opinion, Dimitris Dimitriadis and Peter Schmidt, believe that, in the light of the US’s retreat from international climate arrangements and obligations, the EU must strengthen alliances that insulate climate policies from geopolitical turbulence.

As Mr Dimitriadis put it: ‘The time for renewed global diplomacy is now. As climate-related risks intensify, the EU must strengthen its diplomatic and institutional responses to address the impact of climate on peace and stability, especially in the new geopolitical order.’

The co-rapporteur for the opinion, Peter Schmidt, stressed, ‘EU climate diplomacy needs to be founded on justice, trust, and solidarity – with Europe taking the lead in forging global peace through climate security and resilience’.

The EESC maintains that the green energy transition is essential for geopolitical stability, self-sufficiency and peacebuilding. It proposes that the EU should develop a strategy for climate action by laying out national and EU-wide plans to achieve the European Green Deal targets for decarbonisation, biodiversity conservation, land use protection, circular economy and other measures.

The EU also needs a renewed diplomatic strategy, grounded in three guiding principles. First, climate considerations should be fully integrated into conflict prevention strategies. Second, the EU must prioritise regional and multilateral cooperation: regional partnerships and grassroots collaborations can bolster climate adaptation strategies that reduce instability. And third, we need to invest in green development as a peace mechanism: sustainable economic policies that promote renewable energy can serve as stabilising forces in fragile regions, and providing communities with sustainable livelihoods can help reduce the risk of resource-driven conflicts.