German-British roundtable on climate change and security

On invitation from the British Embassy and adelphi, representatives from the German and British government as well as think tanks from both countries met at the British Embassy in Berlin to discuss the effects of climate change on international security.

Against the background of the next UN Climate Change Conference in Cancún at the end of November, the main focus was on the current developments in the European and international arenas. Reports of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) are showing the urgent need for action. Simon Gallagher, Head of the Economic Section of the British Embassy, stressed in his opening speech that the climate change has ecological consequences, as well as significant social, economic and security-political impacts. There could only be addressed effectively using a holistic approach.

The Roundtable showed that both Germany and the United Kingdom are pursuing a number of actions to consider climate security from the international to the local level. These can serve as a starting point to inspire the discussions at the European and international levels.