Munich Security Conference 2026
As Sea Levels Rise, So Do Security Risks
The climate crisis threatens coastlines, fuels conflict, and puts the international order to the test. At the 2026 Munich Security Conference, the Robert Bosch Stiftung highlights sea‑level rise as an underestimated geopolitical risk – and helps spur coordinated, global action.
The international order is undergoing rapid transformation. Former rules of international cooperation are increasingly being questioned – and even openly disregarded by the very actors who once created and upheld them for decades. But how do we address emerging global challenges for which there are no long-established rules in the international toolbox yet? Managing the long‑term impacts of climate change – such as the gradual rise in sea levels and the resulting loss of livelihoods and economic foundations – is among those emerging security threats for which a coordinated international framework is still lacking. With the event "Rising Seas, Rising Risks: Addressing Sea-Level Rise as a Multidimensional Security Challenge," the Robert Bosch Stiftung and its partner, the Global Centre for Climate Mobility, are placing the nexus between climate change, rising sea levels, and geopolitical security on the agenda of this year's Munich Security Conference.
Rising Seas, Rising Risks
Sea-level rise represents one of the central security challenges of the 21st century. For island nations and countries with low-lying coasts this topic has far-reaching consequences for their economies and societies. This existential threat to human security is also forcing more and more people to leave their homes—a form of climate-induced migration that presents immense challenges for States. Island nations in the Pacific and many other countries in the Global South are particularly affected. However, sea-level rise does not stop at political borders, and so countries in the Global North—including Germany—are also increasingly threatened. The consequences extend far beyond the loss of land and affect core principles of international cooperation.
Unresolved questions regarding the sovereignty of shrinking or sinking States, the status of maritime zones under international law, and growing competition over remaining resources hold significant potential for conflict. This is also reflected in the recently revived debate over security and influence in the Arctic region. This is also highlighted by the recently renewed debate over security and influence in the Arctic region. Questions of geopolitics and the looming erosion of the international rules-based system are intertwining with global challenges to human security and sustainable development.
A Catalyst for Forward‑Looking International Cooperation
These aspects make sea-level rise a core issue of international security—and at the same time, an opportunity to proactively manage this challenge through an internationally coordinated cooperation framework. On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2026, the event hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Global Centre for Climate Mobility provides a platform for exchange among high‑level policymakers, experts, and representatives from affected countries. Its aim is to explore the multidimensional impacts of sea‑level rise and to generate momentum for forward‑looking forms of international cooperation.
The Robert Bosch Stiftung at the Munich Security Conference
The Robert Bosch Stiftung has been a strategic partner of the Munich Security Conference for a decade. Our core mission is to bring future‑oriented global issues onto the conference agenda. In a rapidly changing world, we strive to amplify underrepresented voices and strengthen the effectiveness and resilience of international cooperation. In our work on climate‑related migration, we and our partners collaborate with affected communities, cities, governments, and multilateral bodies to develop concrete measures and solutions. We also support instruments and mechanisms that help ensure climate‑related migration is managed in a dignified and sustainable way.