The United Kingdom has alerted international partners to the severe risks that climate change, nature loss, and the anticipated El Niño weather event pose to global national security. This warning was delivered through a private meeting on September 23, 2026, in New York during the UN General Assembly, where UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband presented findings from a previously suppressed intelligence report commissioned by the UK’s Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).

The report, which was initially slated for publication in October 2025 but withheld by Downing Street, highlights how environmental degradation—specifically the rapid decline of critical ecosystems like the Amazon and Congo rainforests—threatens to destabilize food and water supplies, intensify migration flows, and increase the potential for conflict worldwide. A partially redacted version of the document was later released under the Freedom of Information Act; however, the government has resisted calls for the full report’s publication.

In his address to foreign ministers from the European Union, Kenya, and other nations, Miliband emphasized that the approaching El Niño event, exacerbated by ongoing climate breakdown, is expected to be the most intense in living memory. He warned it would amplify climate shocks that transcend borders, undermining food and water security, displacing communities, disrupting markets, and inflicting economic damage. Reflecting on this year’s widespread heatwaves and crop failures, he stated that such challenges must be managed at the highest levels of government.

“Climate change and nature loss have never been issues for climate and environment ministers alone,” Miliband said. “They are defining challenges for our citizens, our economies, our foreign policy, and our national security.” He also announced plans to establish a dedicated special representative for climate security and a ministerial taskforce tasked with addressing the national security and resilience risks posed by a changing climate and environmental degradation. These initiatives will involve collaboration between military, security, and climate experts.

Supporting this approach, retired General Richard Nugee described climate threats as comparable to traditional security challenges, such as sabotage by hostile actors. He noted that climate impacts on infrastructure, food, energy, and water security could also drive migration and potentially fuel recruitment into extremist groups. Nugee also remarked that it is not unusual for sensitive security reports like the JIC analysis to be withheld from public release.

The UK government is also committing £330 million to the Global Environment Facility, an international fund aimed at protecting vital ecosystems in developing countries, including forests and oceans.

The closed-door meeting followed a public speech by Miliband earlier in the week, where he outlined the UK’s intention to prioritize climate security as a core component of its foreign policy. Since assuming office in July 2026, the former energy secretary has made climate issues central to the UK’s diplomatic agenda.

While the international presentation was welcomed by climate advocates, some domestic critics expressed frustration that the full JIC report remains inaccessible to UK parliamentarians and that the government has yet to publish a comprehensive response to its conclusions. Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay acknowledged the significance of sharing the findings internationally but questioned the government’s continued withholding of the full report and its plan for addressing the outlined risks.