The risks posed by climate change are
real and its impacts are already taking place. The UN estimates that all but
one of its emergency appeals for humanitarian aid in 2007 were climate related.
In 2007 the UN Security Council held its first debate on climate change and its
implications for international security. The European Council has drawn
attention to the impact of climate change on international security and in June
2007 invited the High Representative and the European Commission to present a
joint report to the European Council in Spring 2008.

The science of climate change is now
better understood. The findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change demonstrate that even if by 2050 emissions would be reduced to below
half of 1990 levels, a temperature rise of up to 2oC above pre-industrial levels will be difficult to avoid. Such a
temperature increase will pose serious security risks that would increase if
warming continues. Unmitigated climate change beyond 2oC will lead to unprecedented security scenarios as it is likely to
trigger a number of tipping points that would lead to further accelerated,
irreversible and largely unpredictable climate changes. Investment in
mitigation to avoid such scenarios, as well as ways to adapt to the unavoidable
should go hand in hand with addressing the international security threats
created by climate change; both should be viewed as part of preventive security
policy.

Reference and details:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/reports/99387.pdf