- The Climate Mentor
- Posts
- 162- Defence spending alone won’t solve global security crisis
162- Defence spending alone won’t solve global security crisis
Achim Steiner stresses the need for climate aid to combat emerging global threats
The Climate Mentor
September 22nd, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Risk of focusing only on domestic issues
The UN’s outgoing head of international development, Achim Steiner, has argued that increasing defense budgets without addressing the growing climate crisis in vulnerable regions will be ineffective in securing global stability.
I think he has a point? He does, right?
Steiner said that nations focusing only on domestic security could leave themselves exposed to international threats. “By narrowing the scope of your actions to only what’s within your borders, you risk making your country more vulnerable,” Steiner stated. “Such vulnerability can quickly escalate into a full-blown crisis.”
The warnings come as climate-related disasters escalate.
Climate-related risks do not also stop where we as humans put borders: a heatwave does not see where the line between France & Germany is, floods do not distinguish between India & Bangladesh, the oceans currents do not care about which countries’ shores they touch.
Rising Defence Budgets, Falling Aid
Despite these mounting climate emergencies, countries such as the US, UK, and other European nations continue to increase their military budgets while cutting foreign aid. For instance, the UK has pledged to increase its defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2035, partially funded by reductions in its international aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP.
Steiner cautioned that this strategy is fundamentally flawed: “By reducing funding for international cooperation, especially in developing countries, we are losing the capacity to address climate crises effectively. You cannot resolve global challenges like climate change alone. Reducing aid erodes your own future resilience.”
He called for a shift in national security policies that includes climate resilience, food security, and global health preparedness alongside traditional military concerns.
Some nations are already making progress in this direction—Spain has allocated €1.75 billion of its defence budget for climate-related initiatives.
The Urgency of Global Cooperation
The UN itself is facing immense pressure, with the US reducing its USAID budget and cutting contributions to international climate initiatives.
Other major donors, including the EU, Japan, and Canada, are also facing significant budget constraints. Many developing nations are now so heavily indebted that they are cutting essential spending on health and education to meet debt obligations, leaving little to no resources for climate adaptation.
“We are at a critical juncture,” Steiner concluded. “Without integrating climate resilience and international collaboration into national security strategies, we risk a future where global crises spiral out of control.”
Ready to dive into sustainable investing?
Subscribe to The Climate Mentor today to get updates on the latest trends, tips, and news on climate change.
Enjoy the newsletter? Please forward this to a friend 👥
It only takes 15 seconds. Making this took me 10 hours⌚
Reply