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Climate diplomacy side events at COP 23

6 November 2017 - 17 November 2017
Bonn, Germany

From 6-17 November 2017, adelphi’s experts on climate diplomacy, climate resilience, local climate action, and more, are in Bonn for the COP23 discussions and key side events. In cooperation with the EU, the German Federal Foreign Office, the Planetary Security Initiative and other partners, adelphi convenes and is involved in several side events, of which three revolve around climate diplomacy.

The side events include:

  • EU Climate Diplomacy: Innovative approaches for a climate-resilient, low-carbon future
  • How can adaptation help to stem climate change security risks?
  • Climate Diplomacy: How to prevent climate security risks

 

EU Climate Diplomacy: Innovative approaches for a climate-resilient, low-carbon future

Side event in the EU Pavilion (Room "Brussels") on Monday 06.11.2017, 14.00-15.30

The EU and its Member States have been a champion and practical pioneer of climate diplomacy for many years. This non-traditional area of diplomacy has evolved greatly, illustrating the change foreign policy undergoes in term of topics, forums, approaches and actors involved. In working with and engaging with diplomats, climate experts and the general public worldwide at the national, regional and international levels, there exists a plethora of hands-on experiences of innovative approaches. These contribute not only to a better understanding of climate politics in different regions, but also to establishing, fostering and managing networks between various actors with different perspectives on climate diplomacy. A current challenge is to integrate climate diplomacy across the foreign policy portfolio – the EU Global Strategy, published last year, being one of the cornerstones of respective efforts.

The aim of the side event is to connect innovative climate diplomacy initiatives and practitioners, to showcase experiences and new approaches of EU climate diplomacy - utilizing that this year’s EU Pavilion COP23 is open to a wider audience than usual, which is an opportunity to engage with European and global civil society.

Panelists:

  • Pascal Delisle, Climate and Global Issues Adviser at the European External Action Service (EEAS)
  • Neil Wood, European Security and Defence Council, European Union Military Staff (EUMS)
  • Dennis Tänzler, Director International Climate Policy at adelphi
  • Caroline Lambert, Climate and Environment Counsellor, EU Delegation to Australia
  • Lena Ruthner, Managing Consultant, ICF International

Download: Climate Diplomacy Study - Evaluation of the Effectiveness of EU Climate Diplomacy from 2009-2015

 

How can adaptation help to stem climate change security risks?

Side event in the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety on 11.11.2017, 13:00-17:00

This workshop explores how adaptation can contribute to strengthen resilience and reduce (climate-related) security risks. It examines the potential benefits, limits and prospects of conflict-sensitive and pro-peace approaches to enhance water, food, and coastal security. The discussion will also consider how adaptation can help to address climate-induced displacement.

Panelists:

  • Harald Neitzel, Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)
  • Dennis Tänzler and Nikolas Scherer, adelphi
  • Meaghan Parker, Environmental Change and Security Program, Woodrow Wilson Center
  • Katie Peters, Climate Change and Environment Program, Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
  • Shreya Mitra, Environment, Climate Change and Security, International Alert

Registration and further information: scherer[at]adelphi.de.

 

Climate Diplomacy: How to prevent climate security risks

Side event in the German Pavilion on Friday 17.11.2017, 10.00-11.30

Climate change is one of the greatest security challenges of the 21st century. It will act, as evidenced by the G7 report A New Climate for Peace, as “threat multiplier”, aggravating already fragile situations and contributing to security risks. Foreign policy urgently needs to find appropriate responses and develop preventive approaches to strengthen resilience in various parts of the world. To deepen the understanding of climate change and security and the particularities of each region, the German Federal Foreign Office and adelphi organize a side event at COP23. It will focus in particular on small island states for which climate change poses an immediate threat to public safety and an existential threat in the long-term. The side event partly draws on knowledge developed for this year’s Planetary Security Conference and assembles stakeholders from different regions and organisations. The aims of the event are to showcase initiatives, experiences and new approaches to design a preventive climate foreign policy; to connect climate security related initiatives and practitioners and facilitate improving, replicating, and scaling up such new formats and approaches; to test the waters of potential international entry points for initiatives on a preventive climate diplomacy.

Panelists:

  • Peter Fischer, Deputy Director General for Globalisation, Energy and Climate Policy at the German Federal Foreign Office;
  • Ronald Jumeau, Seychelles Ambassador to the United Nations
  • Dennis Tänzler, Director International Climate Policy at adelphi.
  • Invited: Krishneil Narayan, Director Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN)

To stay up to date, and to follow our side events, please keep an eye on Twitter (@ClimateDiplo).