Reframing Climate and Nature Investment as Strategic Security Action

Abstract

The policy brief synthesizes scientific data on the tipping points of critical tropical forest and marine ecosystems, their impacts on global supply chains, weather patterns, and human displacement, and demonstrates the benefit of key interventions in terms of reduction of cascading risks for national security.

The new geopolitical landscape that deprioritizes multilateralism is driving traditional donors to cut Official Development Assistance, with dangerous implications for the climate and biodiversity crises. In 2025, halfway through the decisive decade to prevent irreversible tipping points and ecosystem collapse, Germany, the UK, Canada, Sweden, and France have all slashed their international aid. As countries turn away from the international rules-based order towards isolationism, it is increasingly clear that traditional arguments for international climate assistance—promotion of sustainable development, livelihood enhancement, and increased resilience—are no longer sufficient to reverse this retreat. Instead, an uncertain world order has sharpened political focus on national security and economic growth. In this context, it is time to make a more explicit case that investments in nature and climate are  investments in national security and economic prosperity.