Call: Ethical/Societal Dimension topic 3: Impact of climate change in third countries on Europe's security

1. Excellent Science
2. Industrial Leadership
3. Societal Challenges

Specific objectives:

• to achieve a resource – and water - efficient and climate change resilient economy and society,
• the protection and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems, and
• a sustainable supply and use of raw materials, in order to meet the needs of a growing global population within the sustainable limits of the planet's natural resources and eco-systems.

The 20th century's era of seemingly plentiful and cheap resources is coming to an end. The ability of the economy to adapt and become more climate change resilient, resource efficient and at the same time remain competitive depends on high levels of eco-innovation, of a societal, economic, organisational and technological nature. With the global market for eco-innovation worth around 1 trillion € per annum and expected to triple by 2030, eco-innovation represents a major opportunity to boost competitiveness and job creation in European economies.

To ensure EU added value and given the transnational and global nature of the climate and the environment, their scale and complexity, and the international dimension of the raw materials supply chain, activities have to be carried out at the Union level and beyond. Reducing resource use and environmental impacts, whilst increasing competitiveness, will require a decisive societal and technological transition to an economy based on a sustainable relationship between nature and human well-being. Innovation in these fields will provide opportunities for growth and jobs, as well as innovative options involving science, technology including of ICT, the economy, society, policy and governance.

Research and innovation will cover the following broad lines of activities:

• Fighting and adapting to climate change
• Protecting the environment, sustainably managing natural resources, water, biodiversity and ecosystems
• Ensuring the sustainable supply of non-energy and non-agricultural raw materials
• Enabling the transition towards a green economy and society through eco-innovation
• Developing comprehensive and sustained global environmental observation and information systems
• Cultural heritage

Extreme weather and climate events, interacting with exposed and vulnerable human and natural systems, can lead to disasters. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), some types of extreme events (e.g. flash floods and related landslides, storm surges, heatwaves, fires, including vegetation fires) have increased in frequency or magnitude, and in the meantime populations and assets at risk have also increased, leading to greater disaster risks. In order to better forecast and manage the immediate consequences of weather- and climate-related disasters, in particular regarding emergency responses, improved measures and technologies are needed.

Climate change in Third Countries is a real threat to security of the European Union. Extreme weather or other climate events which devastate lives, infrastructure, but also institutions and budgets can have disastrous consequences on European security, as climate-driven crises occurring outside the EU can have detrimental effects and direct or indirect security implications on the Union (e.g. climate-driven migration forcing large number of people to move from their homelands to another country – EU Member State; supply chain security; food security; reliance on imports of raw material etc.), including EU assets in third countries.

Therefore, adequate political, strategic and institutional responses should be found in order to enhance international and European cooperation on the detection assessment and monitoring of the security threats in Europe related to climate change in other regions of the world. European policy makers and analysts as well as national governments should tackle climate change as today's non-traditional security hazard.

The research aims at facilitating the adoption of a comprehensive approach, with a view to help minimising negative consequences of climate-driven crises.

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