MSC co-hosts Opening Session of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference

On September 27, 2021, the Munich Security Conference (MSC), in cooperation with adelphi, hosted the virtual opening session of the Berlin Climate and Security Conference (BCSC), titled "Multilateral Momentum: An Agenda for Action on Climate, Peace, and Stability." The session kicked-off the BCSC, which brings together high-level representatives from government, international organizations, science, industry, and civil society to discuss the implications of climate change for peace and security. Since the importance of acknowledging and addressing the interlinkages between climate and security cannot be overstated, this nexus also plays a central role in the activities of the Munich Security Conference, particularly as part of its Sustainability Program.

With only a month to go until COP26, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas highlighted in his welcoming remarks, how crucial it is to use the current multilateral momentum on climate action to strengthen the awareness of the nexus between climate, peace, and stability. After the opening, Raychelle Omamo, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, and Benedetta Berti, Head of Policy Planning at NATO, exchanged their views in an open discussion, moderated by Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the MSC, and Janani Vivekananda, Head of Programme Climate Diplomacy and Security at adelphi.

"No one can be excluded from doing their part"

The debate made clear that climate change acts both as threat multiplier and conflict driver, affecting communities all over the globe. All panelists agreed that in order to address the challenges arising from climate-related security risks, different sectors, including diplomacy, defense, and development, need to be brought together to develop holistic approaches. As Benedetta Berti put it, bridges need to be built and "no one can be excluded from doing their part."

One core theme of the discussion was the importance of relying on, using, and sharing the available science to ensure better foresight planning, early adaptation, and mitigation. UNEP Director Andersen stressed that science must form the basis for collaborating to protect livelihoods and ecosystems, with the greater aim of enhancing the resilience of communities. As Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Omamo pointed out, this is also directly linked to preventing conflicts and crises since fragile states are particularly ill-equipped to deal with emergencies.

COP26 must be a turning point

However, as Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo made clear: "The best analysis in the world cannot protect communities, we need to show political and material commitment to action." All panelists underlined that COP26 must be a turning point, calling particularly on the G20 to fulfil their responsibility and to mobilize the resources needed to adequately address the present and arising challenges. Climate security policies of the future have to build on inclusive approaches, where local knowledge and the perspective of women play an integral part to finding the most suitable, context-specific solution.