16 Aug 23. Defence and Climate Change report: Armed Forces’ “adaptability key to success” in face of rising temperatures. Today the Defence Committee publishes its report “Defence and Climate Change”.
Adapting training and equipment for extreme temperatures
The report calls for UK Armed Forces training to be adapted in the face of rising global temperatures, so that military readiness to respond to crises is not eroded.
The Committee urges the MOD to ensure all Defence Lines of Development are suitably adapted to continue to allow UK Armed Forces to operate effectively across more extreme climatic conditions over the coming decades.
The report underscores the need for military equipment to be modified to operate effectively under more extreme temperature ranges. The Committee urges the MOD to push hard to reduce carbon emissions from its equipment, without eroding military capability. The report calls for this process not to be delayed, as more than 1,000 new tanks and other armoured vehicles with conventional diesel engines will enter service in the next few years and will remain in service after the Government’s 2050 net zero carbon emissions target.
JEF increasingly important for ‘High North’ operations
The report finds that increasing exploitation of the Arctic for international trade and exploration for critical minerals gives greater importance to the role of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) as a security alliance in the ‘High North’. The Ministry of Defence should assess how the JEF might need to be adapted in the face of climate-change induced developments in the Arctic and beyond.
Chair of the Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood MP, said: “Climate change is an existential threat, requiring international cooperation on a scale never seen before. From rising sea levels and devastating natural disasters to crop shortages and decreased biodiversity, the range of challenges we face is profound. As the consequences of climate change are felt across the world, increased instability and insecurity are a real concern. This will place additional pressure on our military. In our report we found that the Armed Forces can expect to have to operate in more demanding environments at more extreme temperatures. Adaptability will prove key to our Armed Forces’ success. Equipment must be modified to meet the challenge – warship engines may soon no longer be able to rely on the cooling effect of the seas. The High North and Arctic are of key strategic importance to UK Defence. As melting ice opens up new maritime routes, we can expect increased traffic and trade, and further exploration of critical mineral resources in the Arctic. Russia has already laid claim to the Arctic and will take full advantage of new routes, allowing them easier, quicker access to previously inaccessible parts of the High North. The importance of a strong and united Alliance, through both NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, is greater than ever. In recent years, the military has stepped in during national emergencies, from flooding, to Covid, to strikes. With climate crises a part of our future, we call for clarity on the expectations for our already stretched military. We cannot expect Service personnel to become the ‘responder of the first resort’ when dealing with environmental crises.”