On the way to Copenhagen: The European process on climate change and security

A EU-wide process on climate change and international security was initiated in 2008. The process originates in the German EU Council Presidency, which invited the High-Representative Javier Solana and the European Commission to launch a "Joint Paper on Climate Change and International Security".

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment then tasked adelphi in 2009 to support this process by conducting an "activity mapping" of existing and planned programmes and activities of EU Member States and selected international organisations on climate change and international security. To this end adelphi conducted an executive briefing at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin on June 26. The executive briefing was attended by several government representatives of EU member states, international organisations and leading international think-tanks. This meeting provided a targeted debriefing for senior executives on current climate and security initiatives and programmes and promoted discussion on further strategic developments of the respective EU process. It was the second of its kind and will be continued in the future. The Chatham House style forum was welcomed by senior executives as a highly specialised and targeted briefing conducted in an open minded atmosphere.