On 26 May 2026, Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra opened a High-Level Roundtable on Climate Resilience and Defence and Security, arguing that climate action should be seen as a "force multiplier" for military effectiveness and European strategic autonomy. He warned that unmanaged climate risks are already disrupting military operations and infrastructure, citing examples such as extreme heat disrupting training exercises in 2022, a wildfire reaching a Greek air force base in 2023, and the 2024 Valencia floods requiring the largest peacetime deployment of the Spanish army. Hoekstra stressed that Europe's dependence on fossil fuel imports leaves it vulnerable, pointing to the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and called for investing in clean energy, sustainable fuels, and dual-use technologies to enhance operational readiness and reduce reliance on external suppliers.
Hoekstra outlined three priorities. First, climate resilience for defence should drive innovation and competitiveness, with investments in synthetic fuels (e.g., by INERATEC and Rheinmetall), batteries for extreme temperatures, and renewable energy systems for military units. He acknowledged a transition period where fossil fuels remain necessary, noting that sustainable aviation fuels will not fully replace jet fuel within a decade and that the EU could need to import over 70% of aviation fuel by 2040. Second, the climate-security nexus should be central to EU international climate efforts, positioning Europe as a credible partner in resilience cooperation, especially after the US withdrawal from climate negotiations. Third, Hoekstra announced that later this year the Commission will propose a new EU Climate Resilience Framework, aiming to embed climate resilience by design into all EU policies, establish a common temperature trajectory, promote open-access digital climate tools, and make Europe a global hub for resilience innovation.
The roundtable gathered climate experts, defence planners, security analysts, senior officials from member states and EU institutions, and defence industry innovators. Hoekstra invited participants to share operational experience and intelligence to help shape the upcoming framework, particularly on real-world risks, institutional barriers, and budget silos that hinder integrating climate and defence. He noted that when he became Climate Commissioner in 2023, few discussed the climate-security link, but the current geopolitical context has created momentum to address fossil fuel dependence for security reasons.
EU defence and energy industries stand to benefit from increased investment in sustainable fuels and dual-use technologies, but may face transition costs and supply chain dependencies. EU member states gain a strategic rationale for decarbonisation but must balance short-term fossil fuel needs with long-term clean energy goals. EU citizens could see improved energy security and resilience, though the pace of transition may affect energy prices. EU institutions will need to coordinate across climate, defence, and industrial policies to implement the framework, requiring new budget lines and planning processes.