Decrease climate risks – increase regional cooperation 2nd dialogue

The second of four dialogue forums on the topic of climate change and security held on 20 June at the Federal Foreign Office focused on Central Asia. The forum centred on the role of regional cooperation in the area of water and energy and the crucial impact its expansion will have on stability and economic development in view of anticipated climate changes.

Working in cooperation with adelphi and the University of Hamburg's research group Climate Change and Security and Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH), the Federal Foreign Office invited a range of experts from Central Asia to participate in the dialogue forum in Berlin.

The rapidly melting Himalayan glaciers represent one of the greatest threats caused by climate change in Central Asia. Furthermore, frequent water mismanagement impairs relations between states and fuels the potential for conflict at local level. There are already a range of initiatives in the region promoting regional cooperation in the water industry which aim to tackle these challenges. It is essential to extend this regional cooperation to include other thematic and geographical areas and to improve mechanisms to exchange information.

However, merely focusing on the water industry will not be sufficient in the long term: Energy security and access to water are already closely interlinked and the impact of climate change will only strengthen these ties. It is therefore vital to adopt an approach that accounts for the links between water, energy and climate change.

A dialogue forum on the Southern Mediterranean region was held earlier this year; other forums on South Asia and Latin America are planned for 2011. More information on the Central Asia Water Initiative can be found here www.auswaertiges-amt.de/…