Risk assessment: Climate change and Germany’s national security
The threats that climate change poses to Germany’s national security through 2040 are described in a recent National Interdisciplinary Climate Risk Assessment. It offers the first thorough summary of the numerous accumulating and exacerbating climate hazards. In February 2025, the Assessment will be formally presented at the Munich Security Conference. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) co-authored it with a number of partners as part of Germany’s National Security Strategy 2023.
“Anyone thinking about security needs to think about climate change as well – and vice versa. Climate change already directly affects Germany, threatening health, lives, prosperity, infrastructure and the economy, and changing the security environment. Anyone grappling with this, needs a basis for informed decision-making, which the National Interdisciplinary Climate Risk Assessment provides for Germany,” says PIK scientist Fanny Thornton, Lead of the GeoClimRisk Project and co-author of the assessment.
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The integration of climate risk into national security assessments reflects a profound understanding of the interconnectedness of environmental and geopolitical issues. This comprehensive approach is essential for informed policymaking.
Indeed, the report underscores the necessity for adaptive strategies that encompass both immediate and long-term challenges posed by climate change. Such foresight is critical for sustainable development.