Wilton Park meeting on climate change and security
Officials from interested G8 countries discuss climate impacts in fragile states and vulnerable countries.
On 2 and 3 July, the UK hosted a meeting on Climate Change and security at Wilton Park. Policymakers from interested G8 countries discussed practical actions which countries can take to show leadership in responding to the impacts of climate change.
Foreign Secretary William Hague conveyed his support to participants. He said:
Climate change is probably the greatest non traditional threat that we face in the 21st century. It requires us to think and operate beyond our traditional boundaries and to bring together experts from diverse fields from policy and defence to science and development.
The Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative for Climate Change, Neil Morisetti, chaired the event. There was a broad consensus among participants that global resilience to climate change and associated environmental and resource stresses needs to be strengthened. Without effective response measures, namely through enhanced international cooperation, these trends will make it harder for fragile and vulnerable states to achieve security and stability. Discussions focussed on the means to address this challenge.
The UK assumed the one-year Presidency of the G8 in January 2013. G8 Foreign Ministers have recognised climate change as a contributing factor in increased economic and security risks globally.
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