On 29-30 May, European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia organised Climate and Environmental Security Training in Tbilisi. The workshop focused on understanding and integrating climate and environmental security risks into the work of EUMM as well as other EU’s civilian missions, which are part of the EU’s Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).
It was the first time an EU CSDP mission conducted a training on the topic. That is why its main objective was to identify entry points for integrating critical issues at the intersection of climate-security into the implementation of CSDP missions’ activities, ensuring the missions are better equipped to tackle the evolving challenges on the ground.
The training built on a methodology developed by adelphi, Europe’s leading independent think-tank on climate, environment and development, and its facilitation was supported by Lukas Ruttinger, adelphi’s senior adviser. Alongside EUMM staff, colleagues from EULEX Kosovo and the EUCAP Somalia as well as the Environmental Coordinator from the CPCC (Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability, an operational headquarters of EU civilian missions at EEAS in Brussels) took part in the two-day training.
As the risks that climate change and environmental degradation pose to international peace and security are becoming ever more real and present, EU member states have been committing resources to equip EU civilian missions with the knowledge and tools to better understand and tackle the complex environment-security challenges. Such challenges are often dependant not only on local contexts, but also various other factors, such as economic, social, political and environmental pressures and shocks. The EUMM is committed to progressively mainstream and address climate and environmental aspects in its planning and implementation of its mandate.