Climate crisis threatens national security of all countries, Ed Miliband tells COP31

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has told world leaders at the COP31 UN climate summit that the national security of every country is at risk from the climate crisis, as global temperatures continue to rise and extreme weather events wreak havoc across the globe.

He told the climate summit in Turkey that the climate crisis would affect the security and defence of every country because the rapid rise in global temperatures, which has already caused extreme weather events such as flooding and wildfires in a number of countries, will bring food shortages, economic disruption, migration and conflict.

“National security is the next frontier of the fight for climate action; the scenarios once of science fiction are now regular occurrences in the daily news,” he told the Guardian before his speech.

He went on to add: “We should be clear that climate breakdown is one of the greatest national security threats we face. Food security, threats to infrastructure, and population movements [are resulting from the climate crisis].”

Miliband also told those gathered that the limits world governments had set at the 2015 Paris Agreement, to keep temperatures below 1.5C is now likely to be exceeded, given how much temperatures have risen in recent years.

He also took aim at those who oppose climate action. The likes of Nigel Farage have consistently criticised climate change policies and described net zero targets as ‘complete and utter madness’.

Miliband said: “Those who seek to stick their heads in the sand on climate are putting our national security at risk.”

The Foreign Secretary also highlighted the risks of relying on fossil fuels amid volatile energy prices, caused by the war in Iran.

He said: “A new era of global insecurity means fossil fuel shocks are now the norm, the fossil fuel rollercoaster is here to stay.”

Miliband reiterated his call to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to invest in clean energy.