Changing approaches to security / Policy Brief
Beyond Copenhagen: Securitising climate change
02/12/2009 By Richard Youngs
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The December 2009 Copenhagen summit (COP 15) will agree new targets, new mechanisms and funding – even if not for the moment in the form of a binding treaty. But in political terms this may all be something of a diversion. The broader politics of climate change are not essentially about such target-setting and large-sweep negotiations.
One of the main imperatives beyond Copenhagen will be to incorporate the geopolitical dimensions of climate change fully into a broadened external energy security policy. On this matter, Europe is a laggard not a leader.
In this Policy Brief Richard Youngs points out that the EU needs urgently to build systematic consideration of the strategic impact of climate change into its mainstream foreign policy decisions. The broader question of how climate change is likely to fundamentally challenge what we mean by security remains to be addressed.
Climate change requires a more engaged and geostrategic foreign policy, not just renewables targets.
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Keywords
Energy Security European UnionBio author: Richard Youngs
Democracy promotion. EU foreign policy.
