EU-ministers bespreken voortgangstraject EU-klimaatdiplomatie (en)
Noting that climate change constitutes a decisive global challenge which, if not urgently managed, will put at risk not only the environment but also world economic prosperity, development and, more broadly, stability and security, the Foreign Affairs Council adopted a set of conclusions on 24 June to further mainstream climate diplomacy into EU and Member States’ priority agendas. The aim is to help mobilising the necessary political will globally in support of an ambitious climate agreement in 2015 and more effective climate action on the ground.
The adoption of renewed Council conclusions on EU climate diplomacy and the lively debate among ministers underlined the high degree of consensus among Member States, the HR/VP and Commission on the relevance and urgency to strategically address climate change, including its security dimension. Indeed, climate change affects and increasingly shapes policy agendas and outcomes in the economic and security fields, a fact reflected in unequivocal policy reports of international institutions including the World Bank, IMF and the OECD but also, consistently, in reports of the intelligence and security community.
Global climate action is picking up speed as more than 90 countries representing all together more than 80% of global emissions, have already decided to undertake domestic emissions reductions. However, ministers noted with concern that today’s global ambition level is still far from sufficient to limit global average temperature increases to less than 2°C from the pre-industrial level and avoid the devastating consequences of current emission trends, if left unchecked. More political lobbying for climate ambition is urgently needed.
Member States welcomed the specific action steps, as laid out in the Council conclusions and in the underlying reflection paper, prepared jointly by the EEAS and the Commission. They also stressed that constructive dialogue and cooperation with EU partners in order to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases, to switch to greener paths of energy production and other economic activities and to adapt to climate change in a conflict-sensitive manner are all important tasks for 21st century foreign services.
In response to the request by Member States, the HR suggested to return to the debate on climate change within the next year.
Read the Council conclusions here