UK creates inaugural special representative for climate security
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Britain has appointed Madeleine Alessandri, chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, as the first special representative for climate security to advise the government on climate-related national security risks.
Britain announced the creation of a new post – special representative for climate security – at the COP26 summit in Antalya. The role, filled by Dame Madeleine Alessandri, chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee that oversees MI5 and MI6, will advise the government on national-security risks linked to the climate crisis.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the appointment reflects the need to address “the climate crisis … now” and to prevent future catastrophes. He reiterated the UK’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and to support a target of 35% electrification of transport by 2035, alongside a plan to mobilise £5 billion of private finance for clean-energy projects worldwide.
Alessandri emphasized that “climate change and nature loss are increasingly shaping the security environment in which the UK operates” and that her work will focus on building resilience and improving understanding of climate-related threats.
Critics noted inconsistencies between the UK’s international climate leadership and domestic policies, citing recent approvals for new fossil-fuel projects and potential weakening of electric-vehicle targets. Mohamed Adow, director of the Power Shift Africa think-tank, warned of “double standards” in the UK’s approach, while Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said the country’s climate credibility was under pressure.
The appointment follows a previously suppressed JIC report that warned of possible security impacts within five years, including food shortages, price spikes, mass migration and heightened geopolitical tensions. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, also attending COP26, described climate breakdown as “one of the greatest national security threats” and called for stronger action.
Environmental groups highlighted the importance of climate finance for vulnerable nations, urging that support be provided as grants rather than loans.