Istanbul, August 21 (HNA) – It has been stated that climate change has become Europe’s greatest systemic security threat and that the continent must respond to this crisis with a military and security-focused approach. An analysis published on the website of the UK-based think tank Chatham House emphasised that the cost of Europe’s inaction in the face of the climate crisis is extremely high, whilst stressing that climate adaptation investments should be viewed not as an environmental expense but as a strategic defence investment.
In the analysis, authored by Dr Patrick Schröder, a senior research fellow at Chatham House’s Centre for Environment and Society specialising in climate change, resource management, the circular economy and sustainable development, it was noted that the European continent is facing its worst summer on record, characterised by extreme heat, drought and wildfires. It was highlighted that no other threat has affected so many countries, people and critical systems simultaneously.
The analysis included the following key figures: “Extreme heat led to an estimated 10,000 additional deaths during the heatwave in June, whilst also destroying approximately 9 million tonnes of Europe’s harvest. Drought and wildfires affected almost the entire continent; so far this year, more than 600,000 hectares of land and forest have been burnt, and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate.”
The analysis, which states that climate-related disasters in Europe caused an average of 45 billion euros in direct damage annually between 2020 and 2024, and that annual losses could reach up to 260 billion pounds by 2050 if adaptation measures are neglected, it was emphasised that these risks must be mitigated, climate adaptation must be integrated into broader security investments, and that, alongside proactive disaster management, the transition to a carbon-neutral economy must be accelerated.
In Dr Schröder’s analysis, the four key systemic risks posed by climate change to Europe were summarised as: disruptions to infrastructure and supply chains; drought-induced asymmetric threats that increase the likelihood of arson and sabotage; agricultural crop losses; and the inability to divert military resources to humanitarian aid operations. According to Dr Schröder, these risks directly threaten the continent’s energy supply, food security and defence capabilities.