OSCE Conference in Vienna: Joint Strategies for Climate Security and Resilience
Under the motto “Resilient Together in a Changing Climate”, over 140 representatives from the 57 OSCE participating States, partner countries, international organizations, and civil society gathered in Vienna. The event was organized as part of Finland's OSCE Chairmanship 2025 and was dedicated to strengthening resilience to the security challenges posed by climate change.
The OSCE, the world's largest regional security organization, is focusing on climate resilience and other global challenges in its 50th year of existence. / Picture: © Vindobona.org
The aim of the conference was to address the security challenges of climate change with a holistic, cross-sectoral and multilateral approach. In the face of increasing extreme weather events, global energy crises and geopolitical instability, the OSCE emphasized the importance of common strategies to strengthen resilience - especially in the context of energy security, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Opening by Vesa Häkkinen: Security starts with the climate
In his opening speech, Vesa Häkkinen, Chairman of the OSCE Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE, highlighted the close link between environment and security: "The OSCE has always seen itself as an organization with a comprehensive concept of security. Environmental degradation, energy security, and climate change are no longer marginal issues, but central security policy challenges."
In the anniversary year of the Helsinki Convention - the founding document of the OSCE from 1975 - Häkkinen also warned that respect for common principles must remain the basis for all multilateral cooperation.
Polycrisis instead of single crisis: warning of global instability
The Special Representative of the Chairmanship for Climate and Security, Kerstin Stendahl, went even further in her keynote speech: "We are no longer experiencing a singular crisis, but a poly-crisis. The climate crisis is interwoven with wars, social tensions, economic shocks, and technological upheavals."
She called for a new approach to security policy that transcends sectoral and state boundaries and sees climate policy as peace policy.
Focus on energy security - also due to the war in Ukraine
The issue of energy systems received particular attention. Bakyt Dzhusupov, Coordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities of the OSCE, emphasized: "Only climate-resilient energy systems that are adaptive, efficient, and technologically advanced can survive future crises. Energy security is a human right and a pillar of stable societies."
In the course of this, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine was also discussed. The war was a central topic in all panels. Ukraine's Deputy Energy Minister Roman Andarak called for international support in the reconstruction and protection of civilian energy infrastructure: "Our energy supply is the target of systematic attacks. The world must recognize this: Energy security has become a target of war."
The European Union and several Western participating states supported the Ukrainian position. Attacks on critical infrastructure were condemned as a violation of international law and OSCE principles.
Solutions on the ground: Local initiatives as a model On the second day of the event, an excursion to local projects in Lower Austria took place. The participants were able to observe how renewable energy generation is combined with the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems. Projects like these show that climate protection and economic development need not be a contradiction in terms.
Finland's Chairmanship sets priorities for the future
The conference is part of a broader program under the Finnish Chairmanship of the OSCE. Under the motto “Whole-of-Society Security”, Finland 2025 is pursuing the goal of rethinking security: as an overall social mission. Climate change, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity are seen as transversal risks - and as tasks for diplomacy, politics, business, and civil society alike.
A follow-up event is to take place in Espoo (Finland) on June 11, 2025. There, the results of the Vienna conference will be further developed and concrete action plans presented - also in preparation for the upcoming OSCE Summit of Environment Ministers.