Climate Security Synergies? : Investigating the Policy Responses of the EU and NATO

Abstract: Climate change is increasingly recognised as a threat to security by having implications on national defence and human wellbeing. Due to the transnational nature of climate change and its security implications, intergovernmental organisations (IGO:s) have become prominent actors in addressing such risks. However, little is known about the practical management of climate security implications within IGO:s and in particular to what extent policymakers fromdifferent organisations partake in integrated governance. Thus, to contribute to this research gap, my study aims to assess the potential for integrated governance. More specifically, the integration across the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) is examined, as these are key actors within the international community which have established an agenda addressing climate security risks. The study is a content analysis of policy documents from each IGO. I investigated the potential for integrated governance by using an analytical scheme that examines preconditions, targets of policy actions and efforts of cross community interactions. The results indicate that there is potential for integrated governance between NATO and the EU and that policy makers from these IGO:s acknowledge the importance of one another in the management of climate security risks. Taken together, these results contribute to new insights on climate security governance by examining the current relevance of integration and by identifying areas for further cooperation.