Climate-related security risks in Iraq and Mali: What the EU can do

For over a decade the EU has shown an interest in mitigating climate-related security risks, but this has rarely translated into effective policies. Iraq and Mali provide examples of how EU missions, policies and related financial instruments could be adjusted to take due account of the climate-security nexus. There is ample opportunity to include this nexus into ongoing programmes, which would also strengthen other EU foreign policy objectives in the fields of security, migration, development and climate adaptation. As several countries close to the EU are highly vulnerable to climate-related insecurity, a more explicit approach to address this issue and more dedicated funding programmes are crucial.