Africa: UN Climate Chief Warns Political Division Is Undermining Fight Against 'Economic Security Emergency'

What the report says

Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, told the European Parliament’s environment committee in Brussels that climate change is no longer only an environmental issue but an economic security crisis. Speaking on Thursday, according to UN News as republished by AllAfrica, he argued that treating global warming as a partisan “culture war” is inconsistent with the scale of damage already visible across Europe and beyond.

Stiell pointed to a summer of extreme heat that he said has killed many people, strained infrastructure, disrupted businesses and trade, and reduced crop yields. He also cited floods in the Himalayas and heat-related power and water shortages in North Africa, warning that climate impacts are contributing to displacement within and across borders. The report said one study estimated this summer’s extreme weather cost Europe 180 billion euros in lost productivity and disruption.

He linked those losses to continued dependence on fossil fuels and warned of further risks to households and businesses if winter energy costs rise again. At the same time, he highlighted the growth of renewable energy, saying clean power is now a major part of Europe’s electricity supply and that global investment in clean energy is outpacing fossil fuels.

Stiell urged the European Union to focus on implementation ahead of COP31 in Türkiye later this year, rather than reopening past agreements. He singled out methane cuts, food security and urban resilience as shared priorities, saying climate action is tied to inflation, security, jobs and public well-being.