Circle
Climate Finance as a Strategic Pillar of Integrated Security
Innovative Approaches to Europe's Global Climate Action
Circle: Climate Finance as a Strategic Pillar of Integrated Security
June 2, 2026
Berlin
International climate policy is under increasing pressure. Over a decade since the Paris Agreement was established, the divide between “petrostates” and “electrostates” has become a defining feature of global climate politics.
As geopolitical competition intensifies and UN climate talks progress slowly, the world risks falling further behind on its existing climate finance commitments. At the same time, climate change is affecting people and economies worldwide, and many countries in the Global South are facing some of the most severe impacts already.

Dr. Kumi Naidoo, President, The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty & Prof. Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer, Director & Chief Economist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
This trend underscores a broader reality: In an interconnected world, climate policy and security policy are inherently linked. Policymakers should therefore treat climate action as a core element of a broader security strategy.
How can countries sustain global climate action during a period of geopolitical change? What role should Germany and the European Union play in international climate finance in the years ahead? How can Europe use climate finance to strengthen its security interests and economic position?
Following up on the final report by our Commission “A Changing World – Germany and the Global South” and as part of our Alliance for Integrated Security, we discussed the policy recommendations outlined in the Working Paper “How to Scale Up Effective International Climate Finance by the EU?” by Commission member Prof. Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer, Director & Chief Economist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).
Speakers
Contact Persons
Sarah van Bentum, s.vanbentum@globalperspectives.org
Circle
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