Climate change and foreign policy

The areas of diplomacy and foreign relations, energy security, peace and secu- rity, trade and investment and development cooperation all involve domestic and international policies that could fundamentally alter the ability and will- ingness of nations and the international community to meet the challenges of climate change. [...] In particular, I want to thank the President and CEO of the Institute, David Runnalls, and the Director of the Institute’s Climate Change and Energy Program, John Drexhage, and the team working with them on this important task. [...] The “security link” conveys added, and arguably necessary, gravitas to the debate on climate change; and an appreci- ation of the security implications of climate change could give new impetus to the climate change agenda. [...] A number of foreign policy areas—diplomacy and foreign relations, energy security, peace and security initiatives, trade and investment, and development cooperation—involve domestic and international policies and decisions that could fundamentally alter (for better or for worse) the abil- ity and willingness of nations and the international community to meet the challenges of climate change. [...] Page 3 2. The Climate Change Challenge Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century, and increasing evidence of present and anticipated impacts of climate change highlight the need for action.