Changes to the climate is one of the top five threats to security in Germany, says the country’s State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action.
Jennifer Morgan says no security goal can be achieved if climate issues aren’t addressed, adding that China will be “absolutely fundamental” as to whether more extreme events can be avoided.
#climatechange #germany #environment
Jennifer Morgan says no security goal can be achieved if climate issues aren’t addressed, adding that China will be “absolutely fundamental” as to whether more extreme events can be avoided.
#climatechange #germany #environment
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NewsTranscript
00:00We're here at the Munich Security Conference where a lot of geopolitical issues are being
00:04discussed.
00:05Obviously security challenges, but many environmentalists, ecologists are saying that these issues cannot
00:10be addressed unless we address the issue of climate change.
00:14How is climate change affecting the geopolitical issues in our world?
00:18Well climate change is a very significant security threat.
00:23We just had a new study come out looking at the integrated risks of climate change on
00:27security and our intelligence agency found that it's one of the top five risks to security
00:35risks in Germany and that we actually can't achieve any of our security goals if we don't
00:40address climate change.
00:42It cuts through everything because of the impacts and the extremity of the impacts.
00:47But also if you look at the energy transition going on, one needs to think about that as
00:51well.
00:52How do we move forward with fossil fuel producers versus those that are moving into the new
00:55clean economy?
00:57The recently released climate risk study states that more than 9,400 extreme weather events
01:03have occurred over the last 30 years with more than 800,000 people losing their lives
01:08because of them.
01:09Now you've spoken before about radical approaches needed for radical crises.
01:14What are those approaches?
01:16And with these geopolitical issues that are going on in the world, how can governments
01:20balance finances, resources to put more priority into climate change and climate action?
01:27Well, these impacts are having an extreme impact on people's lives.
01:30So we do need radical speed.
01:33It's really about speed right now.
01:35We have to have global emissions just in the next five years.
01:39That means a massive shift into renewables.
01:42That's really started.
01:43China is doing quite a lot there, Germany as well.
01:46It also means moving beyond coal.
01:49It means radical collaboration.
01:51So we work very closely with China.
01:53That needs to be intensified, as we do with many other countries.
01:57So how we can work together to share the lessons we've learned in our energy transition to
02:02accelerate that pace of learning and radical action, I would say.
02:06So what China does will be absolutely fundamental as to whether we can avoid more such extreme
02:12events.
02:14What Europe will do is very key.
02:16And I think together, you know, Europe has put forward the commission a 90 percent reduction
02:20by 2040.
02:22China, you know, very much with the great leadership that it is striving for, comes
02:27responsibility.
02:28We need an ambitious national climate action plan there.
02:30So if you don't think and build out resilience in your energy infrastructure, in your buildings,
02:36they will be more vulnerable when the next storm comes.
02:39You spoke there about the European Union, about China's climate action.
02:43There has been some concern about a lack of international leadership in climate action
02:48globally.
02:49Do you think China and the EU can become that leadership that our world needs?
02:53Well, we need leadership from everyone, obviously.
02:57And I think that the European Union is moving forward in that direction.
03:00I do see opportunities there for greater EU-China collaboration.
03:07There is already quite a lot that is happening.
03:09With that, it has to be a fair collaboration, a fair competition in both what we do together
03:16but how we work globally.
03:18They see Germany moving away from coal.
03:20They see us shifting the heating in our homes.
03:23They want to see that in China, too.
03:25What would you say is the biggest challenge we face to the progression of our climate
03:31changes?
03:32Is it people?
03:33Is it money?
03:34Is it power?
03:35Is it us individually?
03:36What is the greatest blockage in this movement?
03:40Lack of courage.
03:42Lack of courage to stand up to vested interests that want things to stay the way that they
03:46are, that are making a good profit on how it's been.
03:49Lack of courage to be putting forward ambitious policies.
03:55I think that is a key piece, and that means also putting yourself out there, despite the
04:01fact that maybe others may be coming in and saying that's not the best way forward.
04:06The evidence is so clear.
04:08The impacts are happening around the world, and the opportunity for the action of driving
04:13a clean and affordable future and prosperous economy are there.
04:17So we just need many courageous individuals all around the world to continue to step up
04:22and work together radically.
04:24It's obviously a very challenging time for our world, both geopolitically and environmentally,
04:30which produces a bit of an air of pessimism, you could say.
04:33Do you have any optimism for the future?
04:35Are you confident that the world really can reduce emissions, that we can get to the 1.5
04:41degrees in the next little while?
04:43Look, I'm extremely concerned about what scientists are finding.
04:47Every tenth of a degree matters, and I think what gives me hope are all of those courageous
04:53individuals who are out there.
04:55I have the privilege of meeting so many of them, whether they are the local mayor that
05:01I met in China recently, who is moving forward and building out renewables in his city, whether
05:10it be in Berlin, the local mom who is working to make sure she can get her kids to work
05:16on a bike.
05:17But the time factor, that is the other greatest challenge.
05:21We have to move quickly, we have to move together, and we have to take everyone with us.
05:26This is an all-of-society problem, and we need everyone to join in to make it work.
05:31Thank you so much.
05:32You're welcome.