Event Summary
Digital Conversation on the EU's international climate policy as part of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference
As a part of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference, the Munich Security Conference brought together key decision-makers and experts for a virtual discussion on "climate-proofing" Europe’s Foreign and Security Policy.
On September 22, 2020, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hosted a Digital Conversation titled "Great Expectations – ’Climate-Proofing’ Europe’s Foreign and Security Policy" at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference. John Kerry, former Secretary of State of the United States, was among the participants along with other senior decision-makers and experts from government, business, international organisations, NGOs, and the think tank community. The group explored how climate security can be mainstreamed into European foreign and security policy, and what other countries – close partners as well as particularly affected regions – expect from the European Union, and Germany in particular, as climate security actors.
Urging rapid and comprehensive action on climate change, John Kerry said:
Nothing we are doing today matches the level of the threat that we all face and the challenge that we are currently having.John F. Kerry•Distinguished Fellow for Global Affairs at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University; former Secretary of State of the United States of America
During the discussion, the importance of leadership on climate action was emphasized. It was argued that the United States had abandoned its leadership role in this area. Instead, Europe had taken the lead, which was welcomed by participants. However, it was also stressed that Europe could not go it alone. Bringing the United States and other key actors in the G20 to the table was considered necessary for comprehensive action on climate and security.
German Minister of State Niels Annen said that climate and security were high on Germany’s and the EU’s agenda. He highlighted that Berlin – together with other like-minded countries such as Sweden – had used its current membership in the United Nations Security Council to put climate security on the agenda of the Security Council and to strengthen the institutional capacity of the UN to deal with climate-related security risks. However, he also stressed:
Focusing merely on the security dimension of climate will not meet the challenge. The EU Foreign and Security Policy must also contribute to accelerated implementation of the Paris Agreement.Niels Annen•Minister of State, German Federal Foreign Office
Other participants supported this assessment and further highlighted the need to include trade and economic policies in a comprehensive approach to climate security. They also stressed that the private sector was undergoing a paradigm shift as it recognized an increasing economic and social need to change towards greener and more sustainable business models. For example, in the United States energy production from renewables has overtaken energy production from coal.
Participants also highlighted the need for shifts in other fields, in particular security: Traditional hard security measures were not considered sufficient to contain the threats arising from climate change. Ilwad Elman, Chief Operating Officer of Elman Peace, said in that regard:
In the Horn of Africa, we feel the intersection of climate change and security on a daily basis, whether it is through drought-induced scarcity of resources that multiplies the threat of inter-clan conflict, the decrease in tuna stock that drives Somali fishermen into piracy, or flooding that continues to drive regional displacement, vulnerability, and violent extremism.Ilwad Elman•Chief Operating Officer of the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center (Mogadishu)
The discussion underlined that access and trust issues during the COVID-19 crisis had shown the need for inclusive approaches to security. Including local governance actors, in particular women and youth leadership, was considered essential to tackle non-traditional security risks like climate change.
Last but not least, the discussion also underlined the need for a positive narrative on climate and security to dispel fatalism. Meaningful climate action and sustainable peace are possible if a truly collective effort is made.
About Digital Conversations
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Munich Security Conference has created a new event format: the MSC Digital Conversations. Here, decision-makers and experts regularly discuss challenges and possible solutions to security implications emerging from the COVID-19 crisis as well as other pressing issues. Learn more about the Digital Conversations.
