François Bausch at the Berlin Climate and Security Conference

François Bausch spoke alongside with ministers from eleven other countries at the launch event of the Climate, Environment, Peace and Security Declaration and Initiative, which Luxembourg will support. This initiative intends to accelerate coordinated and concrete action tackling the impacts of climate change on security and preventing new conflicts from breaking, in particular in fragile contexts.

During his speech, François Bausch emphasized the importance of conflict prevention and the inclusion of non-traditional threats, such as climate change, in European, NATO and national defence policies: "In Luxembourg, we consider that Defence is not only about deterring and tackling traditional 'hard' security threats, but also about supporting initiatives to prevent conflicts and strengthen environmental peacemaking."

At the Conference, Minister of Defence, François Bausch, also had a working meeting with Hassoumi Massaoudou, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Niger. The Ministers discussed the deteriorating security situation, the impact of climate change and the presence of Russia through mercenary groups in the Sahel region.

During two days, the fourth edition of the BCSC, entitled Climate – Conflict – Clash of Crises: Weathering the Risks, will bring together leading figures from governments, international organisations, research and academia to discuss ways and means for how to reduce the impact of climate change on security and support countries to build resilience.

Press release by the Directorate of Defence