斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所-EU-Foreign-and-Security-Policy-on-Climate_8页_331kb

EU Foreign and Security Policy on Climate-Related Security Risks

Core Content

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a significant threat to human security, with adverse effects on societies and states. It can exacerbate existing security risks and contribute to new ones, particularly in vulnerable regions. The European Union (EU) has been a vocal proponent of addressing these risks within its foreign and security policy framework, and this policy brief examines the EU's current approach and recommends ways to strengthen its response.

Main Points

Climate Change as a Security Risk

• Climate change is described as a "threat multiplier" that can intensify existing security challenges.
• It can also be a "threat in its own right", especially for developing countries and small island nations.
• The adverse effects of climate change on security are often indirect, interacting with other social and political factors.

EU's Recognition and Response

• The EU first acknowledged the security implications of climate change in the early 2000s.
• The 2016 EU Global Strategy explicitly states that climate change exacerbates potential conflict.
• In 2018, the EU held a high-level meeting on "Climate, Peace and Security", highlighting the need for coordinated action.

Integration of Climate Security into Policy

• Climate security is not a distinct policy field but a cluster of related policies.
• The EU's early warning system for conflict prevention includes climate variables.
• The Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) are key areas where climate security is being integrated.

Key Recommendations

1. Integrate Climate Security into EU Climate Diplomacy

   • EU external actions should focus more on climate-related security risks.
   • Enhance cooperation with the African Union (AU) and other regional organizations.
   • Support partner countries in incorporating climate-related security risks into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

2. Enhance Knowledge and Risk Assessment Capacities

   • EU delegations and Special Representatives should regularly report on the link between climate change, security, and development.
   • Strengthen institutional capacity within the European External Action Service (EEAS) to manage and coordinate climate security information and risk assessments.
   • Improve climate security training for EU officials and diplomats.

3. Broaden the Mandate of CSDP Missions

   • Consider incorporating climate-related security risks into the mandates of CSDP missions.
   • The Civilian CSDP Compact should be expanded to address these risks, given its focus on building resilience.
   • The EEAS Civilian and Military Planning and Conduct Capabilities should be tasked to include climate-related security in their operations.

4. Strengthen EU-UN Cooperation

   • Enhance collaboration with the UN Climate Security Mechanism.
   • Co-finance context-specific risk assessment projects and support knowledge exchange between practitioners and researchers.
   • Create an institutional home for climate security within the EU, such as by expanding the EEAS unit.

Conclusion

The EU has made progress in integrating climate security into its foreign and security policy, but there is a need to raise ambitions and improve coordination. The EU's comprehensive approach and resources position it well to lead in this area, but institutional support and policy coherence are essential to ensure effective action.

References

• World Economic Forum, Global Risks Report 2019
• Koubi, V. (2019), Climate change and conflict
• Van Baalen, S. and Mobjörk, M. (2017), Climate change and violent conflict in East Africa
• European Union, Global Strategy for the European Union's foreign and security policy (2016)
• European Commission, A global partnership for poverty eradication and sustainable development after 2015 (2015)
• EU, Memorandum of understanding between AU and EU on peace, security and governance (2018)
• Jernnäs, M. and Linner, B.-O. (2019), A discursive cartography of nationally determined contributions to the Paris climate agreement

About the Author

Dr. Niklas Bremberg is an Associate Senior Researcher at SIPRI, an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI). His research focuses on international practices, security communities, climate security governance, and EU foreign and security policy, especially towards North Africa.

Other SIPRI Publications on Climate Change and Risk

• Climate-related security risks and peacebuilding in Somalia (Karolina Eklow and Dr. Florian Krampe)
• Advancing United Nations Responses to Climate-related Security Risks (Camilla Born, Karolina Eklöw and Dr. Malin Mobjörk)
• A Confluence of Crises: On Water, Climate and Security in the Middle East and North Africa (Dr. Johan Schaar)
• Climate change, peacebuilding and sustaining peace (Dr. Florian Krampe)
• Climate Security - Making it #Doable (Karolina Eklöw, Dr. Florian Krampe, Dr. Malin Mobjörk and Dan Smith)
• Climate change and violent conflict: Sparse evidence from South Asia and South East Asia (Dr. Florian Krampe and Pernilla Nordqvist)