Climate & Peace
The climate crisis is hardest hitting on the world's poorest. As a result it is exacerbating existing conflicts over food, over fertile land, over living space. We in Europe have a responsibility to reduce our CO2 emissions and compensate the damage caused by our misguided behaviour in the past.
But climate protection policies can also exacerbate conflicts if they fail to take proper account of existing local tensions. When people are moved to make way for a new dam - but are not welcome in their new homes. Or when rare earths are mined for batteries - but poor working conditions are ignored. At the same time, climate protection projects can be used to generate synergies and foster peace: When groups which have a history of enmity come to together to find solutions to local problems. Or when neighbouring countries develop shared infrastructure to generate sustainable energy. As a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, I want to ensure that EU foreign policy takes greater account of the risks and explores the potential of climate protection policy to foster peace. We are still at the beginning, but this is a policy area which merits more in-depth exploration.
As a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, I want to ensure that the EU's foreign policy takes greater account of the risks and makes better use of the potential of climate protection policy. We are still at the beginning here, but it is worth going deeper into this policy area.
