IIASA at the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Vienna Dialogue on Climate and Security

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Addressing the climate-induced security challenges requires greater multilateral dialogue and co-operation. To support this, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation initiated the series “Vienna Dialogue on Climate and Security”. The aim of the Dialogue Forum is to provide space where climate-related effects on security in the OSCE region can be openly discussed in a new format.
The Dialogue Forum allows subject matter experts, key practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders to present their findings and scientific forecast to political decision-makers. This could support participating States to bring the topic forward in existing OSCE fora. Therefore, key addressees are OSCE-Delegations, including those from the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, the OSCE-Secretariat, and representatives of other international organizations.

Dr. Komendantova will moderate the discussion in one of the two sessions of the Vienna Dialogue on climate change as a driver for innovation. Speakers in this session will be Ambassador Gesa Bräutigam, Head of the Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the OSCE; Malte Duis, Regional Security Manager Europe, CIS and Sub-Saharan Africa, Shell Germany; Leyla Daskin, Researcher, Security Policy Analyst, Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management/ National Defence Academy Austria; and Barbora Sedova, FutureLab – Security, Ethnic Conflicts and Migration, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Climate change can be a chance to change societal and industrial behavior. The
development of coping mechanisms will mitigate the risks inherent to this environmental
situation. Identified economic efficiencies, supported by research findings, will help
achieving a careful approach to a sustainable use of natural resources.
Every crisis provides an opportunity to re-think established procedures, structures and
modalities. Since the climate crisis is a border-crossing phenomenon, it is also likely to be
more sustainable when identifying these opportunities internationally. How can research
findings support this endeavor? Which lessons can be learnt from the private sector?
What are the limits of individual states to cope with the crisis and where is (more)
cooperation needed? Are epidemic situations becoming the new normal?

The other session is titled "How can science support political action?" and will be moderated by Dr. Dirk Buschle, Deputy Director, Energy Community Secretariat, Vienna.

The event will be opened with the welcoming remarks of Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and be under the general moderation of Claudia Crawford, Head, Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation Multilateral Dialogue, Vienna and former Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Women, Senior Citizens and Youth of Germany.