Greetings from Eurodefense: Climate Change Report Issue I

FOREWORD

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOREIGN POLICY

Over time, and particularly with the advent of the 21st century, climate change has become one of the most important topics in the international context. The acknowledgment that, independently of the region, the climate pattern has changed is no longer considered to be a matter of little consensus, but is now accepted as evidence. The rise in temperature since the industrial revolution, which is so well characterised by the Anthropocene geological era, has now been proven, as well as the increase in extreme weather events, both in terms of regularity and intensity.

Associated with the climate issue are problems that go beyond the purely meteorological scope, which pose risks and challenges because they require urgent regulation and the identification of solutions. The environmental problem is viewed from a global perspective, given the threats to vulnerable ecosystems and endangered species, but which also affect the so-called global commons, posing planetary risks. In many regions of the world, the social problem is reflected in the migratory process, highlighting the category of climate refugees. Examples include the Asian and African continents and the dry corridor of Central America. These are regions where the forced human mobility by environmental causes is clearly portrayed and which pose multiple risks due to the inability to retain or regulate it. The economic issue is embodied in the identification of new and challenging, but uncertain, production and energy models. The political dimension, both internal and external, is framed by the adoption of increasingly innovative strategic models in international relations and decision-making.

Concerns about the risks posed by climate change are evident in the numerous studies produced by the Academy, in the actions promoted by the civil society groups, but also in negotiations and co-operation agreements, both bilateral and multilateral. At this level, the Conferences of the Parties (CoP) on Climate have helped to raise international awareness of the issue, above all as a starting point for the various states to make a commitment to contribute to the construction of high-impact global strategies that facilitate both adaptation and mitigation.

Brígida Brito

EuroDefense - Portugal

September 26, 2024