Climate Diplomacy in Perspective: From Early Warning to Early Action

During the UN Security Council debate of 20 July 2011, the Council unanimously expressed concern about the possible impacts of climate change on peace and security. This lively debate with a record participation clearly underlined the need for climate protection and early action to address the security implications of climate change.

Against this backdrop, the German Federal Foreign Office hosted - in cooperation with adelphi - a two-day conference in Berlin that explored ways to further develop regional cooperation and dialogue in light of a changing climate. Opened by the German Minister of State Cornelia Pieper, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, Bangladesh’s Minister of Environment Hasan Mahmud, and Mohamed Shareef, Minister of State in the Republic of Maldives Environment Ministry, the conference welcomed 100 policy-makers and experts from more than 30 countries. This paper summarizes the discussions and recommendations from this conference.