Athens,  14 June 2007

If current predictions are accurate, the deterioration of our environment may be one of the greatest social and economic threats facing our planet. This is not only worrying for the long-term future of our planet per se; it is also directly linked to the severe impact it is likely to have on human security.

Indeed, addressing the issue of climate change is not solely a matter of environmental consciousness; it is not merely an environmental imperative. It is a question of ethics and human rights. Looking at climate change purely through scientific confines no longer suffices. The issue must be approached more broadly to include socio-political dynamics which are unavoidably necessary if we are to have a holistic approach.

As a consequence of climate change, land and water resources will become scarcer. Agricultural production will gradually be reduced, as will drinking water. Pre-existing conflict, poverty, unequal access to resources, weak institutions, food insecurity and the appearance of infectious diseases due to temperature rise, are all likely to have a significant impact on the peace and security of peoples across the so-called developing and developed world.

In today’s globalised and intricately interlinked world, the effects of climate change will have a universal impact. Yet, it is likely that those who will bear the immediate and heaviest burden are the most vulnerable and marginalised, those living in volatile regions. To provide one example: persons fleeing their homes due to climate change. Displacement is often coupled by vulnerability, especially amongst women and children, who, apart from malnutrition and disease, are also exposed to - amongst others - the risk of sexual exploitation, trafficking and abduction. On the receiving end, an influx of displaced peoples and refugees is bound to have socio-economic and political implications.

At the very core of the issue, we find that climate change is no longer “an abstract” phenomenon mostly understood by scientists. The consequences of climate change will not surface “at some point in the future” as many tend to believe. Seen through the lens of human security, climate change is likely to affect us all in the immediate - rather than long-term - future. Lives risk destruction. Communities risk dispersal. Regions risk desertion. Metropolises risk overpopulation. Scarcity and insecurity risk being the order of the day. Risk is, indeed, what we are faced with.

If we are to engage in the discourse of human security and climate change, nation-states, international organisations, civil society and trans-border networks must engage in a constructive dialogue which yields tangible results. The international community must demonstrate that we have the capacity to provide for our citizens and help sustain their livelihood. Co-operation at the trans-national, local and regional levels is of essence if we are to efficiently and effectively address the issue of climate change and its consequences on our human security.

We need a bottom-up approach. A shift in lifestyle is vital.  Overabundance has carried with it a series of “by-products” which irrevocably threaten our planet and our societies. The time has come to design policies which encourage people to make considerable lifestyle changes. This is no easy task. The difficulties associated with lifestyle shifts are many, precisely because they involve a change of our daily mindset. Yet, citizens must and do care; as do politicians. Security is a matter which is dear to the hearts of us all. We work shoulder to shoulder to make the world a safer place from terrorism, poverty and the abuse of human rights. Climate change encompasses all of these threats and many more. It does not pose a single threat; rather, it is a multi-faceted threat which either directly or indirectly impacts our humanity. It is time to join forces to make the world safe. This is where a new role is carved out for governments. They are now called on to create incentives and counterincentives for individuals and businesses in order to enhance and promote their environmental consciousness. European governments have the extra space within which to take such action: the European Union.

We have not remained idle within the EU. We have stepped up our action and implemented measures towards helping protect the environment. We have tried to combine protecting the environment with continuing economic growth; this is no small challenge. We have come a long way, and have achieved a great deal. Yet, much more remains to be done. If it is to be done in a sustainable manner and efficiently, we believe that the greatest impact will come from a co-ordinated effort.

In this framework, and responding to the challenge of a collective, preventive and cross-regional approach to this real threat, Greece’s chairmanship of the Human Security Network (HSN), will focus on climate change and its impact on the most vulnerable; namely women and children. Given the effects and the human rights implications of climate change, Greece wishes to highlight its importance and emphasise that climate change is an issue that transcends national boundaries. As such, it needs to be addressed trans-nationally. In its capacity as a cross-regional forum of communication, the HSN can aim at raising awareness on the human security impact of climate change on vulnerable groups. It can also help to promote international synergies which will yield the much-needed path-breaking solutions.