How can Europe convince the US, China and India to take stronger action on climate?
Part of the answer is a more coherent foreign policy. The Treaty changes agreed at the European Council last month are important steps forward. Now is the time to move quickly.
The EU institutions and incoming Presidencies should immediately start developing a joint strategy for a sustainable foreign policy and the necessary organisational changes. It could be modelled on previous programmes for conflict prevention and the fight against terrorism.
Such a programme should include a deepening of the security strategy from 2003. Degradation of eco-systems, climate change and competition over scarce natural resources are already factors included in the early warning-system set up as a part of the EU conflict prevention programme. But basic data is lacking and the intelligence community is slow in describing for example potential conflicts as a result of climate change.
This situation must be improved. More human and economic resources should be devoted to the analysis of potential green conflicts in a 10-15 years perspective. EU foreign ministers should discuss regional scenarios and strategies frequently and in depth. This would make it possible to develop better prevention strategies, where the EU could use its whole range of instruments and not be trapped in solely short-term crisis management.
Combating poverty and environmental degradation together should be a key strategy in the EU´s and member states´ development assistance. Country environmental profiles must play more important roles in designing country and regional strategies in EU development assistance. Environmental aspects should be better integrated in all external programmes and policies, including the Neighbourhood policy.
Environmental issues such as climate are already discussed regularly at the EU summits with other countries and regions, but this could be done in a more strategic way than before, linking green issues closer to economic relations. The EU needs coherent strategies for its bi-lateral relations with large emerging economies such as China, India, Indonesia and Brazil. Simultaneously, the Union must develop more joint proposals with countries such as Argentina, South Africa and South Korea.
Changes of trade policy are necessary to create confidence in other countries. Today, the gap is too wide between environmental policy and the drive towards bilateral trade agreements within Peter Mandelson´s Global Europe initiative. Two important areas are reducing EU agricultural subsidies and the creation of a free trade area for low-carbon technologies.
Starting with substance such as the environment could also be a way to reduce institutional conflict over the foreign policy reforms. The Green Diplomacy network has already shown that much can be achieved through constructive co-operation between EU institutions and member states.
The emerging External Action Service should have a strong green component. It should of course include skilled diplomats, but also experts on energy, transport, agriculture and environmental protection. Units in the Council Secretariat and in the Commission dealing with horizontal external relation issues such as the environment should be merged and strengthened, giving the EU a better strategic capacity close to the High Representative.
Environmental issues and resource security are of course only two of many issues where there is a need for a more coherent foreign policy. But they should not be underestimated: neither their importance to citizens, nor their impact on European security.

Mats Engström

(full version of text published in European Voice 28/07)