Climate change

The accelerating effects of climate change are shaping development and stability across the OSCE region. Surging temperatures, rising sea levels and more frequent and intense extreme weather events undermine livelihoods, heighten tensions over shared resources and deepen inequalities. Moreover, disruptions to major sectors, such as energy, agriculture and health, risk slowing economic growth and fueling discontent within and across borders. Targeted and collaborative action is essential not only to strengthen the resilience of critical systems but also to provide opportunities for cross-border and cross-sectoral co-operation. In doing so, climate action can help build trust, foster good neighbourly relations, and ultimately advance stability in the OSCE region.

The OSCE’s mandate on climate change is based on the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and rooted in commitments made by its participating States, acknowledging that climate change can exacerbate risks to security and stability. Ministerial Council decisions, most notably taken in Stockholm in 2021, have tasked the OSCE with supporting participating States in addressing climate-related risks, including through strengthening co-operation, dialogue and the exchange of best practices. As part of its comprehensive approach to security, the OSCE therefore provides platforms for dialogue and promotes collaborative action among its 57 participating States and other stakeholders to address climate-related challenges. 

The OSCE provides a platform for political dialogue on the security risks associated with climate change. Through various formal and informal fora, the Organization offers venues for addressing climate change through the lens of a wide range of issues, such as disaster risk reduction, water diplomacy, energy and sustainable cities.

The OSCE also contributes to strengthening the evidence base on the cascading risks of climate change, builds the capacity of key stakeholders to address them and, together with its partners, implements activities on the ground to enhance resilience and reduce the potential security risks stemming from climate change. Examples of this work are participatory risk assessments in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and South-Eastern Europe; the identification and mapping of vulnerable geographical areas; and the development and joint implementation of transboundary adaptation measures for shared ecosystems.

Across all climate-related work, the OSCE upholds core principles of inclusion, participation and local ownership. This means promoting gender and age-sensitive approaches, ensuring that activities reflect community perspectives, and developing them in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.