5 minute read
Documentation High-level event ”Climate, Peace and Security: The Time for Action
(ed/ak, Berlin) It was a sign of commitment: on 22 June, High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini invited ministers, parliamentarians, leading officials and experts from international organisations, civil society and think tanks from around the world to a high-level event on “Climate, Peace and Security: The Time for Action“.
Ten years after a European Commission paper on Climate Change and International Security and as the finale to the global European Climate Diplomacy Week 1 , this conference put climate security high on the European agenda. The issue was already prominently featured in the EU’s Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy from 2016 and was followed up earlier this year by the Council Conclusions on Climate Diplomacy 2 , which recognised the conference as an important step towards addressing the climate-security nexus. The government officials and experts unanimously stressed the urgency and importance of tackling the threats that climate change pose to the security, peace and stability of countries and regions worldwide. Those threats are manifold, from drought and water scarcity – forcing people to leave their homeland and making them vulnerable to the recruitment of violent extremist organisations – to extreme weather events, threatening the livelihoods of millions. The participants of the conference emphasised that climate change has to be considered as a multiplier of existing instability and security risks. What is the role of the Union in this scenario? Ms Mogherini made clear that climate change and security are global issues
and climate diplomacy can be good entry points for preventing conflicts and strengthening trust. A whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach can move us forward.”
Thomas Greminger, Secretary-General of the OSCE (via twitter)
Participants of the high-level climate change event of 22 June. In the middle: Margot Wallströme, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister; sitting next to her: Sushma Swraij, Indian External Affairs Minister (right) and Thomas Greminger, Secretary-General of the OSCE (left)
What does climate change mean?
Global temperatures rise Warming oceans Arctic sea ice decline Shrinking ice sheets
The Earth’s average temperature has increased by 1.1 °C (NASA data) during the 20th century, and most of the warming has occurred in the past 35 years. Even though this may sound like a small amount, it is however an unusual event in the planet’s recent history. Small changes in temperature correspond to enormous changes in the environment.
Photo: © climate.nasa.gov
As the planet warms, it’s the ocean that gets most of the extra energy by absorbing much of the increased heat from the atmosphere, with the top 700 meters of ocean showing significant warming since 1971 (+0.5°C, NOAA data). The plants and animals that live in the ocean must adapt to the warming, or die.
Photo: Matthias Hiltner, CC BY 2.0, Flickr.com
Both the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice has rapidly declined over the last several decades. Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum each September. According to NASA data, September Arctic sea ice is now declining at a rate of 13.2% percent per decade. The Arctic Ocean is expected to become essentially ice free in the summer before the mid-century.
The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass. According to NASA, Greenland lost an average of 281 billion tons of ice per year between 1993 and 2016, while Antarctica lost about 119 billion tons during the same time period. The rate of Antarctica ice mass loss has tripled in the last decade.
Photo: © NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, CC BY 2.0, Flickr.com
Photo: © Goddard Space Flight Center, CC BY 2.0, Flickr.com
“The UN must step up and lead global efforts
together with regional partners such as the EU.”
Margot Wallstrom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden
“We must bear in mind that the capacity of developing countries to translate their political commitments into tangible initiatives and projects gets constrained by lack of predictable, sustained and adequate finances and technologies.” Sushma Swraij, Indian External Affairs Minister
Participants of the high-level climate change event of 22 June. In the middle: Margot Wallströme, Swedish Foreign Affairs Minister; sitting next to her: Sushma Swraij, Indian External Affairs Minister (right) and Thomas Greminger, Secretary-General of the OSCE (left)
Source: © European Union , 2018, Photo: Lukasz Kobus
that need global action – however the EU is already indirectly and directly affected by consequences of climate-related security threats. What is more, experts underlined that the EU has the capacities and capabilities to take a leading role in putting climate security on the global agenda as well as to support other countries in preparing for and responding to incidents. The concept of “Responsibility to Prepare”– introduced by The Center for Climate and Security 3 (US) together with the Planet Security Initiative – has been recognised as an important principle in climate security politics. The concept foresees a routinisation, institutionalisation and elevation of the discussion as well as an integrative approach, analysing climate security in conjunction with other security areas such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation or maritime security. In addition, six points of further action have been determined by the participants of the event: • Elevate the climate-security nexus to the highest political level in national, regional and multilateral fora • Deploy maximum political and diplomatic efforts to support the Paris Agreement implementation • Mobilise and improve reporting and early warning systems focusing on most exposed countries and regions • Put the focus on prevention: building state and societal resilience • Promote the role of women as agents of social, economic and political change • Make action on the ground a source of sustainability, strength and peace, meaning that climate, development and security dimensions should be addressed at the same time
1 https://bit.ly/2Ku01sa 2 https://bit.ly/2tLqRER 3 https://bit.ly/2tMS2iC
Glacial retreat Sea level rise Biodiversity loss Extreme weathers events
Glaciers are also retreating almost everywhere around the world — including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa. Glacial melting is impacting freshwater ecosystems. Over a billion people rely on these glaciers for drinking water, sanitation, agriculture and hydroelectric power.
The global sea level rose significantly in the last century as a result of added water from melting polar ice sheets and glaciers in combination with the expansion of seawater as it warms. This results in flooding and erosion of coastal and low-lying areas. Rising sea levels also contaminate freshwater sources, and saltwater interferes with agriculture by stunting crop growth.
Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, Flickr.com
Global warming is likely to be the greatest cause of species extinction this century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says a 1.5°C average rise may put 20- 30% of species at risk of extinction. Many of the world’s threatened species live in areas that will be severely affected by climate change.
Climate change has increased extreme weather events like severe droughts and heat waves in some regions, and extreme precipitation and coastal flooding in others. Climate change is also supposed to have a worsening effect on tornados and hurricanes, like in the Caribbean.
