EU-USA: a transatlantic climate alliance

In her speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2021, European Commission President von der Leyen reiterated that "the United States is our natural partner for global leadership on climate change".

Increasing adaptive capacity and climate resilience to safeguard communities is a key part of the Paris Agreement ambition.

Climate change impacts such as ocean acidification, desertification or changes in temperature affect crops and biodiversity, diminishing the economic resilience of local communities, influencing food security and ultimately spurring conflicts over resources. Critical infrastructures can be disrupted due to extreme weather and make areas uninhabitable, creating climate refugees.

The 2021 EU climate adaptation strategy points to the need for robust data and risk assessment tools. Both the EU and the USA possess significant monitoring capacities and extensive datasets. Directing some of these towards early warning systems for extreme events, and long-term climate resilience research and planning for at risk communities, could perhaps increase stability on the ground.

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