Are we ready?
In view of the multiple crises we are facing, this is the big question the new Niinistö report tries to answer for the EU. It looks into "Strengthening Europe´s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness". Check it out!
Some interesting bits:
1. Circular economy and water resilience are critical to tackle unsustainable land use and the structural mismanagement of water. These "are all pieces of the puzzle to ensuring the EU’s functioning under all circumstances; (...) the EU and Member States can further build on different policies put in place. For instance, under the Critical Entities Resilience Directive, Member States have an obligation to take specific actions to increase the resilience of water supply and wastewater entities. The proposal for a Soil Monitoring Law aims to promote monitoring and to improve soil health. Under the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the Union has launched several regulatory initiatives to promote the transition to a more resource-efficient, and at the same time, more resilient economy. Nevertheless, more needs to be done. In this regard, the announcement of a future European Water Resilience Strategy (...) sends an important signal.
2. "Climate change and environmental degradation will only further exacerbate instability, the human cost and the potential for internal and inter-State conflict among less climate resilient countries".
3. "The melting of Arctic ice opens new shipping routes and creates new potential for the exploration of fossil fuel and mineral deposits. This has already contributed to geopolitical tensions as Russia increases its military capabilities in the region (...). In addition, Russia is stepping up its collaboration with China to build infrastructure along the Northern Sea Route. (...) Globally, climate change has growing geopolitical impact in the maritime domain, both around Europe (e.g. in the Baltic and Black Seas), as well as in the Indo-Pacific."
https://lnkd.in/dJrmRy8M
