HYBRID threats intertwined with climate change impacts are reshaping the Pacific security landscape, requiring integrated, resilient responses.
The European Union (EU) frames hybrid threats as a central security challenge, amplified by climate change and emerging technologies, which affect Pacific Island nations’ sovereignty and stability.
“Climate change is identified as the single greatest security threat in the region,” said Barbara Plinkert, EU Ambassador to the Pacific, during the ESIWA+ (Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia and the Indo-Pacific) workshop in Nadi.
“Hybrid threats include foreign information manipulation, cybercrime, and attacks on maritime infrastructure, and natural disasters intensify vulnerabilities, creating openings for disinformation and other security risks.”
The EU links these dynamics to broader geopolitical shifts and disruptive technological advances.
Pacific countries are actively advancing national strategies to combat hybrid threats and build resilience, with recent examples from Fiji, including the adoption of new cybersecurity frameworks.
She said Pacific nations bring expertise in climate diplomacy, fisheries, maritime governance, and ocean stewardship.
“These efforts align with the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy and regional agreements like the Samoa Agreement.”
Plinkert emphasised the need for integrated approaches that combine disaster response with security measures, with regional protocols underscoring the importance of sovereignty and multilateral cooperation against shared threats.
EU’s comprehensive support includes humanitarian aid, cybersecurity, and maritime security initiatives, such as the primary projects, safeguarding critical sea routes.
“Capacity building spans disaster relief and digital resilience to counter foreign interference. Protecting submarine cables and pipelines is prioritised given their strategic importance,’’ Plinkert said.
“The initiative aims to bolster Pacific resilience to hybrid threats while respecting regional sovereignty. This integrated approach addresses the interconnectedness of natural disasters and hybrid security challenges.”
Geopolitical Context and Strategic Outlook
The evolving global power competition and fragmentation of the rules-based order shape the EU’s security engagement strategy in the Pacific.
EU acknowledges an increasingly fragmented and contested international order, stressing competition and coercive politics as outlined by High Representative Kaya Kallas.
She said the UN Charter’s authority is challenged by shifting alliances and confrontations.
“Foreign actors regularly launch campaigns to manipulate information and undermine democratic systems,’’ Kallas said.
“These hybrid tactics represent a foreign policy and security challenge, not just a communications issue. The EU seeks to balance avoiding entanglement with great powers with maintaining autonomy and resilience.”
The EU’s approach focuses on building resilience through anticipation, adaptation, and the absorption of shocks beyond military or economic power alone.
Plinkert added, resilience is framed as a capacity to withstand geopolitical, economic, and climate-related pressures.
“This philosophy guides the Pacific engagement to help countries prepare for and recover from hybrid threats and disasters.
“The strategic balance aims to safeguard security without escalating regional tensions. It reflects a nuanced understanding of the complexity of contemporary security in a multipolar world.”
The Pacific’s unique challenges and the EU’s shared priorities highlight a convergence around multilateralism and a rule-based order, with the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy, the Samoa Agreement, and the Pacific Protocol emphasising partnership and resilience.
“These frameworks support cooperative responses that integrate security, governance, and environmental concerns,” she said.
“The EU’s long-term vision is a stable, secure Pacific able to manage natural and geopolitical shocks, and this alignment strengthens the EU’s legitimacy as a partner respecting Pacific sovereignty and global norms.”
