Addressing the interdependence between peace and climate change: need for renewed global diplomacy

Practical information

• Composition of the Study Group
• Marie-Laurence Drillon (Administrator) / Blanka Kubistova (Assistant)
• Contacts

Background

Climate change is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental crisis but also as a significant driver of global insecurity, conflict, and displacement. It acts as a risk multiplier, exacerbating vulnerabilities and compounding political and social tensions, particularly in fragile regions. In response, the EU has embedded climate objectives within its external action framework, including the European Green Deal, the Strategic Compass, and the Climate Change and Defence Roadmap. These initiatives underscore the growing urgency of integrating climate resilience and environmental sustainability into foreign and security policy. However, despite strong rhetoric and leadership in global climate diplomacy—such as the Paris Agreement—the EU’s climate-security agenda remains uneven, with geopolitical priorities often overshadowing ecological imperatives. This own-initiative opinion seeks to highlight the strategic importance of climate action in maintaining peace and security, while calling for a more coherent and forward-looking approach to climate geopolitics within the EU’s external policy.