Presentation at the Brussels Dialogue on Climate Diplomacy (BDCD), 23 January 2018

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Reinforcing Environmental
Dimensions of European Foreign and
Security Policy
Marianne Kettunen, IEEP
Dominique Noome, GMACCC
Johanna Nyman, IEEP

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Authored by: In cooperation with:

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Acknowledging the role environment and ecosystems play
in underpinning security – both in terms of national and
human security – means a departure from the security and
defence policy as traditionally perceived. It requires a more
holistic regime that goes beyond military preparedness or
response, with due links to a range of sectoral activities that
impact the environmental and ecosystem quality and
resilience.

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Reinforcing the Environmental Dimensions of the European
Foreign and Security Policy
Where we are: outlines the environmental dimension of the European security policy and
security-related foreign policy
What we need: a prevention-oriented, holistic and ecosystem-based approach to security
questions the
The path to what we need: integration of environmental concerns into this policy framework
could – and should – be improved to support the delivery of the 2030 Sustainability Agenda,
both in the EU and globally
What should be the starting point: human security underpins national security and ecosystems
+ environmental factors underpin human security
Concrete steps to reach this point.

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Policy recommendations for foreign and security policy
Environmental diplomacy and international cooperation
• Invest in environmental and climate diplomacy as means to mainstream these aspects in EU foreign
and security policy as key determinants for human, national, EU and international security.
• Increase the capacity of and coordination between key institutional agents including EEAS, DGs
DEVCO, CLIMA and ENVIRONMENT, EU country delegations, EDA and possibly PESCO.
• Recognise the role of water as a source of conflict as well as an opportunity for cooperation,
increasing efforts on EU’s water diplomacy as one key area where the EU can show leadership while
simultaneously contributing to the delivery of SDG6.
• Identify priority regions or countries to engage in a dedicated environmental and climate security
dialogue, with appropriate links to the programming and implementation of the related EU
financing instruments.
• Actively engage in debates in the international policy arena, continue liaising with the relevant UN
bodies, including the UN Security Council (UNSC), on climate and environmental security issues.

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Policy recommendations for foreign and security policy
Environmental diplomacy and international cooperation
• In particular, support and facilitate action by the EU Member States in the UNSC, with the aim to
develop a more coherent and effective framework of action on climate and environmental security
under the UN system.
• Take a more proactive role in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
under the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), linking this as an integral part to support
the environment and climate security agenda.
• Use the dialogues in domestic and international contexts to identify a number of partners with
whom to share leadership on, pioneer holistic policies and develop concrete approaches to
environmental security.

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Policy recommendations for foreign and security policy
Knowledge creation
• Improve horizon scanning and early warning indicators and capacity by supporting monitoring
and early warning bodies focusing on climate change, environmental degradation and resource
competition both within and outside the EU.
• Establish a more rigorous methodology for mapping, measuring and monitoring environmental
and climate security risks and indicators including automated approaches using planetary data,
frontier technologies and open source software.
• Build national capacities to access, share and use planetary data and frontier technologies for
monitoring environmental security and climate change hotspots, including the development of
open data policies and the required infrastructure for data management and analytics.

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Policy recommendations for foreign and security policy
Funding under the EU budget
• Ensure that the current and post-2020 EU MFFs provide concrete opportunities for financing
pioneering action on environmental and climate and security , including the aspect of human
security linked to national / EU and international levels.
• In particular, ensure that the EU Partnership Instrument and the EU Instrument for Stability and
Peace as vehicles for EU environmental diplomacy are carried forward in to the post-2020 MFF.
• In the context of the future NDICI and its implementation in practice, ensure that funding for
environmental and climate security is in line with long-term sustainable development of the
partner countries.
• Adopt a process to assess the future partnership agreements with and priorities by EU partner
countries vis-à-vis their impacts on and support to environmental and climate security.
• Assess the feasibility of and adopt a mechanism for tracking the amount of and results provided by
EU funding supporting environmental and climate security.
• The recommendation could address the need for climate proofing of all relevant EU external policy
areas as an overall budget target.

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Practical recommendations for defence and military actions
Capacity building
• Invest in further capacity building of relevant military and diplomatic staff within the EU on the role
of the environment in conflict (3S Approach).
• Improve military awareness and literacy on the subject of climate change and the role of the
environment in conflict and peacebuilding through training, supported by doctrinal development.
• Encourage a whole of government approach to develop integrated solutions to support conflict
prevention, peace-building & sustainable development.
• Raise Member State awareness on – and provide support in the light of – the expected increase of
HADR type missions for national defence forces due to extreme weather events and other climate
and environmental related aspects, which will have consequences for material and budgets
required.

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Practical recommendations for defence and military actions
Integrating environment and climate in on-the-ground missions
• Streamline current efforts in climate mitigation and adaptation in the EU military missions,
including connecting military to Climate ADAPT.
• Ensure that the mandate of EU missions specifically includes climate and environment provisions,
including consider implementation of effective and long-term climate adaptation measures as
additional indicators of mission success.
• In each EU partner country, enhance cooperation with the EU / Member State delegation vis-à-vis
the EU / Member State military mission.
• Encourage and enable the development of a bottom-up environmental approach in the security
sector, exploring what is feasible, what works, what does not. Identify an EU wide group of
military ‘functional specialists’ or ‘ENVADS’ who can answer any environment-related questions
during missions and operations and use this as a basis for doctrine development.

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Practical recommendations for defence and military actions
Integrating environment and climate in on-the-ground missions
• Include Rapid Ecological Assessment in analysis phase and before carrying out localized CIMIC
activities, integrated with civilian agencies that are present in the area.
• Ensure that the EU conflict early warning system shares with Member States military intelligence
units, looking for root environmental causes for conflicts and sharing analysis.
• Use the EDA’s project on integrating circular economy into the defence sector to explore broader
links with environmental sustainability of defence and military actions.

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“We must understand climate change as one issue in a web of factors that can
lead to conflict, can exacerbate conflict. Within this web climate change acts as
a treat multiplier, applying additional stress on prevailing political, social and
economic pressure points.”
Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the UN July 2018

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Johanna Nyman
jnyman@ieep.eu