In its third conclusions on climate diplomacy, published on 20 July 2015, the Council of the European Union reinforces its commitment to addressing climate change as a key foreign policy and security matter.
As underlined by the latest IPCC findings, climate change is linked to multiple environmental, social, political and economic risks. Climate diplomacy initiatives and responses at a global and EU level are, thus, central in addressing climate change related threats, with the aim of pursuing a “safe, sustainable and climate resilient low-carbon development path”. Underscoring the security dimension of climate change, the Council welcomes the latest G7 report "A New Climate for Peace" and is committed to building up its climate diplomacy component as an inherent part of its foreign policy. Furthermore, the Council’s conclusions recall the need for a legally binding agreement at the COP21 in Paris and stress the importance of accelerating multilateral and joint EU climate diplomacy efforts. The High Representative and the Commission are invited to report back in early 2016 with regards to the outcome of the COP21 and its implications for climate diplomacy and future actions.
South Asia’s vulnerability to climate change and associated fragility risks calls for a regional approach to climate services. Different actors need to cooperate to share actionable climate information—the security architecture in the region would benefit.
With cities continuously more threatened by climate change-induced disasters, urban planning’s reflex response is to protect cities against nature. But what if the solution lies in working with nature instead against it? Architect Kongjiang Yu invites readers to imagine what cities could look like if they took into account ancient wisdom on spatial planning.
During the past two weeks, Antigua & Barbuda, Nicaragua and Panama ratified the Escazú Agreement, giving a major boost to the unprecedented and innovative Latin American pact that seeks to reduce social conflicts and protect frontline communities in the world’s deadliest region for environmental defenders.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres outlined priorities for the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 26) during a briefing at UN Headquarters. The briefing was hosted by the UK, which will be assuming the COP 26 presidency in partnership with Italy. COP 26 is scheduled to convene from 9-20 November 2020, in Glasgow, UK.