What impact does climate change have on our security, and what are NATO Allies doing to lower their militaries’ environmental footprint? Michael Rühle, NATO expert in energy security and environmental challenges, explains.
Synopsis
The melting of the ice cap in the Arctic could lead to a competition for scarce resources, according to a NATO expert. Ahead of World Environment Day, Michael Rühle, Head of the Climate and Energy Security Section at NATO Headquarters, has given an interview where he discusses the impact climate change will likely have on our security.
Climate change will affect different places in the world at different times and to different degrees. It is a threat multiplier that affects the security of the Alliance, and its broader neighbourhood. NATO is stepping up its efforts in environmental security and environmental protection to address the impacts of the Earth’s rapidly changing climate and an increase in weather extremes. Although NATO is not the first responder for every challenge related to climate change, the Alliance has a role to play in a comprehensive response to it. Allies have recognised the need to adapt to the future operating environments that climate change will bring, while reducing NATO’s environmental footprint where this does not compromise operational capability. Allies have also set the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. Climate change and NATO’s role in addressing this challenge will be one of the topics on the agenda at the NATO Summit in Spain on 29-30 June.
Transcript
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Q&A WITH MICHAEL RÜHLE
1 WHAT IMPACT
DOES CLIMATE CHANGE
HAVE ON SECURITY?
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Michael Rühle
Head, Hybrid Challenges and Energy Security Section at NATO
“We have seen in the past that, for example, bad harvests can lead to political instability, especially in fragile countries. There is a massive security issue here.
The melting of the ice cap will open up new economic opportunities. The northern route will become ice-free.
It could lead to all kinds of competition for scarce resources because there is lots of interesting stuff under the ice which will become available.
We already see that the Arctic is an area where there's more military activity than there used to be.
.”
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2 HOW WILL CLIMATE CHANGE
AFFECT THE WAY
THE MILITARY OPERATE?
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Michael Rühle
Head, Hybrid Challenges and Energy Security Section at NATO
“Climate change will have many different implications for the military. Starting with the maritime dimension. If the sea level rises, your coastal installations will be flooded more and more frequently.
Take the heat in the Middle East, which is going up. If you have 50 degrees or more, your military gear will not be able to shield you from that heat.
If you have more sandstorms in certain areas, for example, you will not be able to do reconnaissance flights anymore.
If you have roads that go along coastal areas, they will be flooded and therefore be unusable most of the time.
So, we have already many cases where climate change is changing the way we need to plan and execute military operations. And then, of course, there's the other question. If climate change does lead to humanitarian disasters, what role will the military play and what role will NATO play in the future?”
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3 WHAT ARE ALLIES
DOING TO LOWER
THEIR MILITARIES’
ENVIRONMENTAL
FOOTPRINT?
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH—
Michael Rühle
Head, Hybrid Challenges and Energy Security Section at NATO
“First of all, we have to measure how much greenhouse gas does our military emit. That is not an easy thing, but we're working on that right now. We're working on a methodology to measure greenhouse gas emissions in the military. And then you will have to think about, to set goals for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
But you also need to look at new technologies, what technologies are available that give you what we call the “win-win”. Lower environmental footprint, but full combat capability, because we cannot compromise on that.
So, there are very interesting experiments being done in many Allied nations on biofuels, for example, and many other things. And it's important to use NATO as a framework to exchange best practices among Allies and hopefully among partners as well, so that we get a higher IQ when it comes to understanding how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the military.”
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