The adoption of the Appendix to the Montreal Protocol on reducing fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC) successfully concluded the 28th meeting of the parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (10–14 October 2016, Kigali, Rwanda). The Slovak delegation led by the Slovak Minister for the Environment, László Sólymos, conducted the negotiations on behalf of the EU.
The minister considers the Montreal Protocol to be the most successful global environment agreement, which has made a substantial contribution to the recovery of the ozone layer by reducing the production and consumption of freons. ‘On the other hand, some fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC) that have replaced freons substantially contribute to global warming. Today, we have a great opportunity and responsibility to commit to specific objectives which will lead to the gradual reduction of HFC production and their replacement by energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives,’ said László Sólymos.
The negotiations resulted in the adoption of the Appendix to the Montreal Protocol, the implementation of which will contribute to reducing the increase in global temperature by 0.5 °C, which was agreed this April in Geneva. The Appendix is therefore one of the first concrete steps to fulfilment of the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement ratified by the EU last week.
[This article originally appeared on the website of the Slovak EU Council Presidency, www.eu2016.sk]
At a briefing ahead of the COP25, foreign minister Heiko Maas called for higher ambition for the European Union, which should act as a role-model to encourage other states to boost their commitments to climate action. He further reiterated the importance of supporting multilateralism and an international climate regime that is able to withstand setbacks, such as the US withdrawal of the Paris Agreement.
Climate change is increasingly challenging global security and undermining peacebuilding efforts. UN Environment and the European Union have joined forces to address these challenges. With the support of adelphi, they have developed a toolkit on ‘Addressing climate-fragility risks’. This toolkit facilitates the development and implementation of strategies, policies, and projects that seek to build resilience by linking climate change adaptation, peacebuilding, and sustainable livelihoods, focusing on the pilot countries Sudan and Nepal.
Nobody needs to be convinced that climate change affects our very existence and security. However, experts are interested to know how climate change affects security at a global level and what the EU can do in that regard. This was the main aim of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) Climate Change and Security Course co-organised by the French Institute for Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN) and adelphi, as part of the Climate Diplomacy initiative supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, which took place in Brussels from 21 to 23 October 2019.
The new study Shoring up Stability demonstrates, for the first time, how climate change interacts with conflict and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region. To launch the report and discuss its findings with local policy-makers, experts and practitioners, the German Embassy in Niger, adelphi and CNESS co-organised a launch event on 24 October in Niamey. Insights from Niger point to the importance of investing in governance rather than technical fixes.