European flags in front of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, Photo by Elwood j blues

The European Union Council just released a new “conclusion” on climate diplomacy. It follows on the heels of prior conclusions in July of 2011 and June of 2013, as well as recent discussions held around the report commissioned by the G7 on climate fragility, and an “Arria-formula” discussion at the UN Security Council on the same topic.

In the conclusion, the Council stresses the importance of the EU in preparing and responding to climate risks to fragility and conflict.

 Addressing the risk-multiplying threats of a changing climate, including potential conflict and instability, related to reliable access to food, water and energy, requires effective foreign policy initiatives and responses at the global and EU level. The Council is committed to addressing the security dimension of Climate Change, including by building up its climate diplomacy component, as an inherent part of its foreign policy, and welcomes the publication of the G7 report “A new Climate for peace” as commissioned under the UK G7 Presidency and completed under the German G7 Presidency, as well as the debate in the UN Security Council on June 30 initiated by Spain on the role of Climate Change as a threat multiplier for Global Security. In this context the Council looks forward to an update of the 2009 Secretary General Report “Climate Change and its possible Security Implications”.

The full Council Conclusions on Climate Diplomacy is available here. Additional EU climate security documents are available on the Climate Security Resource Hub, Non-U.S. Government and Regional Institutions page.