Draft Report on Climate Diplomacy

Apr 26, 2018 | Arne Lietz and Jo Leinen
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In 2015, reaching a universal climate agreement in Paris and adopting the Agenda 2030 - with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core - has been a great success for the global transformation towards a more sustainable and low-carbon society. Both achievements can be seen as successful examples of multilateralism. The Paris Agreement, in particular, has been made possible through a concerted diplomatic effort by the EU and the French Presidency. Now, the challenge ahead lies in translating it into action, in creating the rules and procedures for this process during the upcoming UN climate conferences and by keeping up international commitment for climate action. This illustrates the importance of placing climate on the agenda of foreign affairs bodies and actors. Severe effects of climate change are tangible globally and therefore have to be a strategic priority in international diplomatic relations. With climate-related developments impacting geopolitical stability, food and water supply - and hence the regional security of populations affected - as well as migration flows, the issue needs to be addressed on all levels and in all fields of foreign affairs diplomacy. This is why the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety dedicate a joint report to this topic and put forward recommendations for future EU climate diplomacy activities. This report sets the cornerstone for future engagement of the Parliament’s Committees, especially the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committees on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety in climate diplomacy, and establishing the European Parliament as one of the foreign affairs actors in the field.