Goal 13: Climate action

Working across the borders with Ukraine’s neighbours, the OSCE assists with projects to improve co-operation on adapting the Dniester basin to the challenges of climate change, and to reduce environmental risks for border guard personnel in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Read More...

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports Ukraine’s reforms and helps the country meet crisis-related challenges. Its projects actively contribute to major transformations, critical for the stable and democratic future of the country. The Co-ordinator's approach is multi-dimensional and covers a wide array of activities, such as constitutional reform, legal and criminal justice reform; human rights and legal education; dialogue as a tool to deal with crises and implement reforms; psychological and social rehabilitation of crisis-affected people; the fight against cybercrime and human trafficking; mine action and democratic control of the security sector; environmental protection; border security; media freedom; elections; good governance; and gender equality. Read More...

Within the Secretariat, the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) addresses security-related economic and environmental issues as part of OSCE's comprehensive approach to security. In the OSCE Economic and Environmental Dimension, the OCEEA is active in the following areas: Read More...

Water is a strategic natural resource and an essential element of national and regional security. Water scarcity, including lack of access to water, and water pollution can threaten socio-economic development and political stability and security. Water management challenges can potentially trigger disputes and conflicts; equally, water management can also create valuable opportunities for co-operation and dialogue. The international community, academia, the business community and policy makers are aware of the risks water crises can pose to security, and the additional stress put on water resources by climate change. Read More...

Climate change is a threat to sustainable development. Its impacts are being felt all around the world and also in the OSCE region. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, more severe and more widespread affecting the lives of millions of people. Its adverse impacts on human health, ecosystems, and natural resources, particularly water, are becoming more and more visible. National economies are disrupted with costly impacts of climate change. Energy, agriculture, forestry, tourism, and insurance are among the major economic sectors that are likely to be affected from the impacts of climate change. As it brings a number of direct and indirect consequences that shape security landscapes, climate change is considered as a “threat multiplier”. Read More...

The Environment and Security (ENVSEC) Initiative grew out of discussions at the OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum. It was launched in May 2003, simultaneously at the Fifth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference in Kiev and the OSCE 11th Economic and Environmental Forum in Prague. Founded initially by the OSCE, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment, the partnership was later on joined by other organizations. Currently, it is a partnership of OSCE, UNDP, UN Environment, and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Its primary objective is to tackle environment and security risks through promoting environmental co-operation among and within the countries of four regions, namely Eastern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Read More...

Energy security means having stable access to energy sources on a timely, sustainable and affordable basis. Access to energy is not only crucial in supporting the provision of basic needs- such as food, lighting, water, and essential health care, but it is first and foremost a precondition to economic growth, political stability and prosperity. This is why energy security forms an important part of the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security. Read More...

The OSCE-supported tenth annual Central Asian Leadership Programme (CALP) took place from 15 to 22 September 2019 in Almaty. Some 70 young environmental leaders, CALP alumni from the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, representatives from the government and international organizations participated in the event. Read More...

Interview with Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, former UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, and founder of the Mary Robinson Foundation. Read More...

Vienna, 5 July 2019 – Including women at all stages of the planning and decision-making processes in environmental security enables more effective and sustainable responses to the challenges we face, stressed participants at today’s High-Level Discussion on Promoting the Role of Women in Addressing Environment and Security Challenges. Read More...