Laura Birkman on Gender, Climate and Security at the Berlin Security and Climate Conference

Laura Birkman, Director of the Climate, Water, and Food Security Programme at the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS), participated in an official side event of the Berlin Security and Climate Conference on 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 co-hosted by the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management (CoE) and the European External Action Service (EEAS) Civilian Operations Headquarters to celebrate 𝟮𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮.

Diverse voices were brought together to underscore the crucial truth: gender-responsive, environmentally aware approaches to peace and security are essential to accurately address the impacts of a changing climate, as climate change exacerbates gender inequalities and conflict risks while women’s participation and empowerment enhance resilience and stability.

Participants explored practical ways to better integrate gender and environmental perspectives into conflict and crisis management, ensuring our responses to crises are sustainable and inclusive.

In her keynote address, Laura Birkman emphasised that sustainable peace is achieved by building connections and integrating the fields of gender, environment, and security, rather than by allowing them to operate in parallel.

Programme Highlights

Opening remarks will be delivered by Douglas Carpenter, Head of Division, EEAS/CivOpsHQ.1, and Johanna Sumuvuori, Director of the CoE. This will be followed by a keynote address and a presentation on experiences from the field, as follows:

• Keynote Speaker, Laura Birkman (Hague Centre of Strategic Studies) – Women, Water, and Peace: Integrating Pathways for Sustainable Security
• Ingvild Brodtkorb (Norwegian Institute for International Affairs) – The Interface Between CPS and WPS in Conflict- and Climate-Affected Contexts
• Bárbara Magalhães Teixeira (Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute) – Gendered Dimensions of Climate-Related Security Risks in the OSCE Region
• Helena Bergé (Belgium Ministry of Foreign Affairs) – Integrating Climate into WPS National Action Plans
• Patrick Fox (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) – A Collaborative Approach
• Mervi Patosalmi & Johanna Lauritsen (EEAS CivOpsHQ) – Intersections of Women, Peace and Security, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation in Civilian CSDP Missions

About the Water, Peace & Security Partnership

The Water, Peace & Security (WPS) Partnership brings together organisations HCSS, Wetlands International, IHE-Delft, Deltares, the World Resources Institute, and International Alert to develop innovative tools and approaches that link data-driven analysis to dialogue and action. By identifying and addressing the risks where water insecurity could lead to conflict, the partnership supports governments, development agencies, and local actors in building cooperative and sustainable water solutions around the world.