Climate in the age of security

Current security and geopolitical concerns are sidelining climate issues on the political agenda. Climate mitigation and adaptation, e.g. a fossil phase-out and environmental protection, have well-known benefits for security even beyond avoiding dangerous climate change. Deploying resilient renewable energy systems improves energy sovereignty, natural infrastructure serves civil protection, and joint ecosystem conservation contributes to conflict prevention. However, this requires long-term strategies and addressing national and international distribution effects. Also, a balance between natural infrastructure and resource use (including for security) needs to be found, to avoid irreversible damage to natural life-support systems. An integrated security policy therefore includes prevention- and resilience-based approaches, and must acknowledge and explicitly address potential trade-offs.

The event will explore the security-climate nexus, its role for climate negotiations, international cooperation and local stability, engaging with national and international stakeholders.