First meeting of NATO climate change envoys to address impacts on security - NATO HQ
NATO - News: First meeting of NATO climate change envoys to address impacts on security, 11-Jun.-2024
First meeting of NATO climate change envoys to address impacts on security
On Tuesday (11 June 2024), climate change envoys and representatives of 23 Allied countries met for the first time in Reykjavik, Iceland, to discuss how to further enhance cooperation in understanding and adapting to the impact of climate change on security.<!IoRangePreExecute>
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Thórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir opened the event. The participants addressed recent developments affecting climate change and security. These include the weaponisation of energy as part of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the need to avoid creating new strategic dependencies on potential adversaries and competitors for the mining and refining of these critical minerals through the green transition.
This first meeting of climate change envoys demonstrates Allies’ commitment to address the security implications of climate change together. Participants will meet on a regular basis to further strengthen the coordination between national stakeholders.
Since the adoption of its Action Plan on Climate Change and Security in 2021, NATO has been focusing its efforts on three main areas of action: understanding and mitigating the impact of climate change on security, and adapting its militaries to maintain their effectiveness in every environment.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate diplomacy
Talks are well underway in preparation for the next major international meeting on climate change, 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), scheduled to begin Nov. 30 in the United Arab Emirates.
Much like last year’s COP27, finances — specifically, aid to developing nations — will be at the center of conference deliberations.
The conference faces an even greater sense of urgency brought on by the Sept. 8, 2023, release of the first global stocktake, which calls for accelerated action to meet the goals set in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP21).
Climate diplomacy: COP 27 | Climate diplomacy: COP 28 | Climate diplomacy: COP 29