19 June 2025

Brussels

On 19 June 2025 from 8:30-11:00 CEST, ECDPM and Search for Common Ground are organising an in-person public event in ECDPM office in Brussels to discuss the role of climate-sensitive peacebuilding (or environmental peacebuilding) in the climate-security agenda of the EU. 

Climate change is often described as a ‘threat multiplier’ and considered a key threat to sustainable development, peace and stability in the Sahel. Yet, research increasingly shows that environmental challenges can also open pathways for dialogue, mediation, and conflict-sensitive resource management and sustainable development. Despite efforts to integrate climate, peace, and security –such as the EU’s Joint Communication on the Climate-Security Nexus– recent policy trends show a shift towards (hard) security and defence, with diminishing attention (and funding) for climate-sensitive peacebuilding initiatives, particularly in external action.

In collaboration with Search for Common Ground, ECDPM has analysed the current impact of climate change in the Sahel, possible implications of security policy shift of the EU, and implications for supporting climate-sensitive peacebuilding. This event –the first in a two-part series concluding in October 2025– convenes EU policymakers, member state representatives, and peacebuilding practitioners to put environmental peacebuilding and climate resilience higher on the EU climate-security agenda, and showcase effective implementation in fragile and conflict-affected settings, particularly the Sahel.

Discussions will address how the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) could better support integrated responses to climate, peace and security, how to strengthen EU climate-security policies, and key implementation challenges in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

The outcomes of the discussion will then feed into a policy brief, which will be published shortly after the event.

Register here

Find the event's full report here.