The European Commission (EC) increasingly addresses environmental security. In Fall 2006, the Directorate-General for External Relations commissioned a study on the capacities of the EC to prevent and mitigate environment-related conflicts. The study was carried out by Adelphi Consult as subcontractor of ECORYS and approved by the EC in spring 2007.
The study analyses the Commission’s work in different thematic policy areas related to environment and security links (development, external trade, crisis prevention, research, energy, climate, etc.). Existing Commission approaches to the topic range from projects concerned with water shortage, over combating the trade in conflict resources to adaptation measures as response to climate change. However, these activities are mostly conducted in isolation and lack an overarching strategy framework (e.g. European Security Strategy and the EC Communication on Conflict Prevention). Currently they are neither thematically nor operationally linked. Although significant sectoral knowledge exists within the EC, human resources and integrative approaches to capture the cross-sector nature of environmental security remain limited.
Increase in financial and human resources, development of an integrated strategy and the creation of adequate mechanisms for communication and coordination are the key recommendations of the study.
Comprehensive internal EC consultations had already begun during the course of the study. Two institutional innovations allowing for a purposive and integrated dialogue resulted from this process: an intra-administrative working group on conflict and resources and a facility for financing future activities in the area of conflict resources. In addition, dialogue with civil society on these issues will be intensified within the framework of the Peacebuilding Partnership and the Conflict Prevention Network. (by Achim Maas)

Further information on the study is available directly at the Directorate-General for External Relations of the EC (Alessandro.Villa@ec.europa.eu).

Published in:ECC-Newsletter, June 2007