Partnerships for climate resilience and security in focus at OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group meeting

Building resilience through strengthened partnerships to address the security implications of climate change was the focus of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group meeting held on 24 October 2025 in Vienna.

Participants from OSCE participating States and Asian Partners for Co-operation explored how the challenges caused by changing climate are reshaping security priorities across regions, and how greater co-operation, data sharing and joint policy action can help mitigate risks and enhance collective resilience.

In a keynote address, Mr. Matthew Hudson, acting Assistant Secretary of the Climate Diplomacy Branch, at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, said that “Our economy, society, national security and conditions for prosperity are so deeply enmeshed in the world, we must understand the range of complex and interrelated climate impacts internationally – as an island nation we rely on the capacity and stability of those around us and the quality of those relationships”.

Speakers further highlighted that the growing frequency and severity of climate-related events acted as a risk multiplier, amplifying pressures on economies, ecosystems and societies. They emphasised that climate change not only affects livelihoods and access to natural resources but can also aggravate tensions and create instability, especially in fragile regions. In this context, effective partnerships, both within and beyond the OSCE area, were seen as vital to developing shared understanding and coordinated responses.

Participants exchanged views on how regional and cross-regional collaboration, including between the OSCE and its Asian Partners, can help advance early warning systems, enhance security assessments, and promote stability. Practical experiences were shared on integrating climate risk reduction into national policies and on fostering inclusive approaches that bring together groups differently impacted by climate change and with distinct knowledge and capacities.

“Tackling climate security is a shared responsibility”, said Deborah Maria Borg, Chairperson of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group and Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Delegation of Malta to the OSCE. “As we look into mitigating risks, we need strong partnerships and this is where the OSCE and Asian Partners can make a unique contribution”.

Participants reaffirmed the OSCE’s role as a platform for connecting regions, fostering dialogue and trust and advancing comprehensive approaches to common challenges. They underscored that addressing climate-related security risks collectively is key to preserving resources, enhancing economic resilience and strengthening societal cohesion across the OSCE region and beyond.