The climate crisis is the biggest security policy challenge of our times: The sixth Climate and Security Conference at the Federal Foreign Office

The climate crisis is the biggest security policy challenge of our times: The sixth Climate and Security Conference at the Federal Foreign Office

The climate crisis is making vital resources such as water and arable and inhabitable land scarcer and thus poses an existential threat to millions of people and entire countries. The connection between climate, peace and security is the focus of the sixth Berlin Climate Security Conference.

The world's most important forum for discussing the climate-security nexus

Climate extremes are exacerbating human suffering, displacement and conflicts over resources. The resulting increase in human insecurity is putting regional peace and international stability at risk, which is why climate policy is always also security policy. Since the first Berlin Climate and Security Conference was held at the Federal Foreign Office in 2019, the conference has become established as an important global forum for discussing the links between climate change and security. It brings together key stakeholders from the climate, peace and security sectors to discuss concrete solutions.

How to Secure a Climate for Peace

The slogan at the sixth edition of the conference is How to Secure a Climate for Peace. Around 250 people from all around the world are due to take part - from particularly affected countries, the United Nations, research and the realm of practice, as well as civil society and the media. The conference will also provide important input for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku in November, in particular concerning how we can support fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable countries in achieving the 1.5 degree target.

This year, the focus will be on the link between the climate crisis and security goals, and also on the contribution that can be made by the security and defence industries. Innovative approaches to climate risk analysis and early warning systems that can help to foster peace and stabilise regions will be a further topic of discussion. The Climate Conflict Vulnerability Index (CCVI), for example, is a scientifically sound tool that sheds light on the nexus between climate, peace and security. This Federal Foreign Office tool, developed in cooperation with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Bundeswehr University Munich, combines publicly available data on climate risks, vulnerability and conflict risks, so that this information can be understood and used.

A livestream, impressions, summary and video report can be found at https://berlin-climate-security-conference.de

Find out more about the German Government's work in the area of climate and security here: Climate change - the biggest security threat of our times

Keywords

• Climate
• Articles

• Print page
• Share page

  Share page

  • WhatsApp
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Mail
• Top of page