- The European Commission’s climate chief warned on Friday that unless serious action is taken to combat climate change, society will wage “wars” over food and water in the future.
- At the Munich Security Conference, Frans Timmermans said that global warming is one of the greatest security risks worldwide.
- Without doing anything, Timmermans said, “I have no doubt that my children, my grandchildren will fight wars for water and food.”
The European Commission’s climate chief warned on Friday that unless serious action is taken to combat climate change, society will wage “wars” over food and water in the future.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Frans Timmermans said global warming is one of the top security risks globally and urged efforts to limit its impact should not be overwhelmed by other geopolitical crises such as the war in Ukraine.
“Climate is security, it’s the same thing,” said Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal and Commissioner for Climate Action at the European Commission.
“The climate crisis is not being held up because there is another priority,” Timmermans told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble during a panel session titled Geopolitics of Green Transition.
If we don’t, I have no doubt that my children and grandchildren will be fighting wars over water and food.
Frans Timmermans
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal and Commissioner for Climate Action, European Commission
Timmermans said there was an “emerging” sense of urgency in society that needed to be used by industry and government to implement change.
“If we don’t do that, there’s no doubt in my mind that my children and grandchildren will be fighting wars over water and food,” Timmermans said.
“How many millions of refugees are we willing to take in because some parts of the planet are becoming uninhabitable? How many famines will we tolerate because parts of the world can no longer grow agricultural production? Think about it,” Timmermans said.
Climate scientists have warned that time is running out to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels – the target temperature threshold set out in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement.
The target is recognized as a crucial global target, as so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level. These are thresholds where small changes can result in dramatic shifts in Earth’s entire life support system.