Illustration: “The Climate-Security Nexus: A risk Multiplier”, presentation by General Middendorp and participants at the iDeaS conference on June 20, 2023.
The panel was moderated by Major Raphaël Danino-Perraud, commissioned officer in the “Research and Capacity” office of the French Ministry of Defence’s Operational Energy Service, and Hawa-Léa Sougouna, Conference Manager for COGES EVENTS.
“Climate safety: an inconvenient truth
General Middendorp began his presentation by addressing four aspects of climate and security that are particularly important to the military:
He went on to explain the role the army can and must play in helping to mitigate the risks associated with climate change. The army can thus :
The army must also demonstrate strategic adaptability, developing international cooperation, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief, alongside civil and military cooperation. It can also strengthen the resilience of fragile countries, as well as resilience within military institutions themselves. Finally, it can also focus on reducing the army’s ecological footprint. For the former Dutch Chief of Defence, while society as a whole is changing in response to the energy transition, the military is reluctant to follow suit, mainly because of two major concerns:
General Middendorp suggests starting with the easiest – critical infrastructures. His recommendations include a focus on research and development, and ensuring that NextGen capabilities are more self-sufficient.
General Middendorp also highlighted a number of elements in the drive towards self-sufficiency, such as the reduction by armies of “huge supply chains, which are the most risky and costly”, or the development of new energy technologies that can offer new military operational capabilities (the reduction of noise signature is an example of such a win-win approach). So, the question is not whether or not to pursue this path, “the question is how to do it and how to implement it”, concludes the general.
The EU is moving towards an Energy Union and a climate-neutral economy by 2050, but this requires diversifying energy supplies, consuming less fossil fuel and increasing the contribution of renewable and alternative energy sources while implementing energy efficiency measures.
As part of the EU’s energy transition, the defense sector will need to reduce its energy dependence, reduce its energy footprint and associated costs, reduce the risks inherent in logistical support, and strengthen resilience to security issues.
Mr Hadjisavvas highlighted a number of concrete examples of collaboration, underlining the progress made in this area. In November 2020, the EU published its first roadmap on climate and defense. The aim of this roadmap is to address three interdependent areas of work: the operational dimension, capacity building, partnership and multilateralism. Then in March 2022, the Strategic Compass for Security and Defense also addressed this issue, and included a paragraph calling on member states to develop national strategies by the end of 2023 to prepare their armed forces for climate change.
In addition to intra-European cooperation, cooperation between the EU and NATO has also led to the drafting of three joint declarations in 2016, 2018 and 2023 addressing the security implications of climate change. Finally, more recently, the EDA and the US Department of Defense (DOD) have implemented joint administrative arrangements to facilitate cooperation in assessing the impact of climate change on the defense sector.
Mr. Hadjisavvas also stressed the importance of the work carried out by the EDA’s Energy and Defense Consultation Forum. The forum aims to help EU defense ministries move towards green, resilient and efficient energy models. The forum’s first project received funding from the EU, the RESHUB network “Defence Resilience Hub” in Europe. He also referred to various research studies carried out by EDA on energy storage, digital energy profiles, and so on.
Mr. Hadjisavvas concluded that, in the face of rising global energy prices, the EU’s green deal is the solution, and that collaboration with industry has ” a multiplier effect towards climate neutrality “.
Major Danino-Perraud also spoke of the importance of ” sharing experimentation “. Each partner country is experimenting with new technologies around the green transition, and this knowledge transfer is an essential element in moving forward. He also stressed the need for patience with these technologies, as some of them ” do not give immediate results “, hence the cautious approach of the Ministry of the Armed Forces to their implementation in the forces.
During the question-and-answer session, General Middendorp emphasized the stalemate in which industry and the army find themselves. The industry isn’t moving as fast as it could because defense hasn’t changed its requirements, and defense isn’t moving because it’s waiting for the industry to innovate with new technologies. In his view, it’s a question of moving forward together. We need to stop buying off the shelf and move towards joint development. General Middendorp spoke of the key role played by the EDA and the European Defense Fund (EDF) in bringing industry and defense closer together to start developing more autonomous future technologies and capabilities. He stressed that it was not just a question of developing capacities, but of going further and putting in place logistical support in line with the energy transition.
” We need to think in terms of potential, not risk “, he continued, explaining that the military sees investment in resilience strictly as a risk factor, when it should instead see it as an opportunity factor to find new ways of working with industry, academia and other sectors.
Mr Hadjisavvas also built on this idea of breaking down traditional synergies and embracing new partnerships. He mentioned the EDA conference on energy and technology solutions, which showed how innovative civil technologies can be applied to the defense sector, and the European Commission’s action plan for the civil, defense and space industries. ” We need the contribution of civil industry to meet these challenges,” he concluded.
Summary – How can new developments in sustainable energy provide answers for the defense sector?
The challenges of energy transition for the defense sector are significant, as the military must strive to reduce emissions and act in a world beset by various climate crises while maintaining the same level of operational efficiency. At the COGES EVENTS e-conference on June 20, 2023, entitled “How can new developments in sustainable energy bring game changing answers to the defense sector”, a panel brought together two experts on the subject, namely :- Dr. Constantinos Hadjisavvas, Project Manager for EU-funded programs at the European Defense Agency;
- General (R) Tom Middendorp, former Dutch Chief of Defense and current Chairman of the International Military Council on Climate and Security.
The panel was moderated by Major Raphaël Danino-Perraud, commissioned officer in the “Research and Capacity” office of the French Ministry of Defence’s Operational Energy Service, and Hawa-Léa Sougouna, Conference Manager for COGES EVENTS.
“Climate safety: an inconvenient truth
By General (R) Tom Middendorp
General Middendorp began his presentation by addressing four aspects of climate and security that are particularly important to the military:
- Global competition: the exponential growth of the world’s population, which is set to double this century, is accompanied by an equally growing demand for finite resources. How to bridge this gap is the major challenge of this century.
- Local disasters: these are natural catastrophes (hurricanes, forest fires, etc.) that require relief and humanitarian aid.
- Local disasters: these are natural catastrophes (hurricanes, forest fires, etc.) that require relief and humanitarian aid.
- Internal adaptation: the army must adapt to efforts to offset the effects of climate change. Infrastructures must be protected; the risk of food shortages must be reduced; emission reductions must be ensured during the energy transition.
He went on to explain the role the army can and must play in helping to mitigate the risks associated with climate change. The army can thus :
- Raising awareness: researching and educating on how climate change and safety interact.
- Establish a warning and forecasting system: developing a good climate analysis to understand where risks come from and prevent them is essential.
The army must also demonstrate strategic adaptability, developing international cooperation, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief, alongside civil and military cooperation. It can also strengthen the resilience of fragile countries, as well as resilience within military institutions themselves. Finally, it can also focus on reducing the army’s ecological footprint. For the former Dutch Chief of Defence, while society as a whole is changing in response to the energy transition, the military is reluctant to follow suit, mainly because of two major concerns:
- the cost of such a transition for the military: the concern is that investing in climate resilience will divert funds from operational readiness.
- Reduced military efficiency: for example, how will the performance of an electrically-powered tank compare with what already exists?
General Middendorp suggests starting with the easiest – critical infrastructures. His recommendations include a focus on research and development, and ensuring that NextGen capabilities are more self-sufficient.
General Middendorp also highlighted a number of elements in the drive towards self-sufficiency, such as the reduction by armies of “huge supply chains, which are the most risky and costly”, or the development of new energy technologies that can offer new military operational capabilities (the reduction of noise signature is an example of such a win-win approach). So, the question is not whether or not to pursue this path, “the question is how to do it and how to implement it”, concludes the general.
EDA’s role in promoting sustainable energy in defense By Dr Constantinos Hadjisavvas
Dr Hadjisavvas began his presentation by outlining AED’s various priorities:- Support key capabilities structuring European Union (EU) defense.
- Stimulate technology research.
- Ensure that military interests are taken into account and aligned with EU policies (around the circular economy, the Green Deal, etc.).
The EU is moving towards an Energy Union and a climate-neutral economy by 2050, but this requires diversifying energy supplies, consuming less fossil fuel and increasing the contribution of renewable and alternative energy sources while implementing energy efficiency measures.
As part of the EU’s energy transition, the defense sector will need to reduce its energy dependence, reduce its energy footprint and associated costs, reduce the risks inherent in logistical support, and strengthen resilience to security issues.
Mr Hadjisavvas highlighted a number of concrete examples of collaboration, underlining the progress made in this area. In November 2020, the EU published its first roadmap on climate and defense. The aim of this roadmap is to address three interdependent areas of work: the operational dimension, capacity building, partnership and multilateralism. Then in March 2022, the Strategic Compass for Security and Defense also addressed this issue, and included a paragraph calling on member states to develop national strategies by the end of 2023 to prepare their armed forces for climate change.
In addition to intra-European cooperation, cooperation between the EU and NATO has also led to the drafting of three joint declarations in 2016, 2018 and 2023 addressing the security implications of climate change. Finally, more recently, the EDA and the US Department of Defense (DOD) have implemented joint administrative arrangements to facilitate cooperation in assessing the impact of climate change on the defense sector.
Mr. Hadjisavvas also stressed the importance of the work carried out by the EDA’s Energy and Defense Consultation Forum. The forum aims to help EU defense ministries move towards green, resilient and efficient energy models. The forum’s first project received funding from the EU, the RESHUB network “Defence Resilience Hub” in Europe. He also referred to various research studies carried out by EDA on energy storage, digital energy profiles, and so on.
Mr. Hadjisavvas concluded that, in the face of rising global energy prices, the EU’s green deal is the solution, and that collaboration with industry has ” a multiplier effect towards climate neutrality “.
Conclusion: knowledge transfer is essential
Asked how the French Ministry of the Armed Forces was tackling the issue of ecological transition, Major Danino-Perraud stressed the importance of international cooperation. He pointed out that PESCO (Permanent Structured cooperation) projects were an important part of the French strategy for energy transition. The aim of PESCO projects is to set up capacity-building projects at EU level.Major Danino-Perraud also spoke of the importance of ” sharing experimentation “. Each partner country is experimenting with new technologies around the green transition, and this knowledge transfer is an essential element in moving forward. He also stressed the need for patience with these technologies, as some of them ” do not give immediate results “, hence the cautious approach of the Ministry of the Armed Forces to their implementation in the forces.
During the question-and-answer session, General Middendorp emphasized the stalemate in which industry and the army find themselves. The industry isn’t moving as fast as it could because defense hasn’t changed its requirements, and defense isn’t moving because it’s waiting for the industry to innovate with new technologies. In his view, it’s a question of moving forward together. We need to stop buying off the shelf and move towards joint development. General Middendorp spoke of the key role played by the EDA and the European Defense Fund (EDF) in bringing industry and defense closer together to start developing more autonomous future technologies and capabilities. He stressed that it was not just a question of developing capacities, but of going further and putting in place logistical support in line with the energy transition.
” We need to think in terms of potential, not risk “, he continued, explaining that the military sees investment in resilience strictly as a risk factor, when it should instead see it as an opportunity factor to find new ways of working with industry, academia and other sectors.
Mr Hadjisavvas also built on this idea of breaking down traditional synergies and embracing new partnerships. He mentioned the EDA conference on energy and technology solutions, which showed how innovative civil technologies can be applied to the defense sector, and the European Commission’s action plan for the civil, defense and space industries. ” We need the contribution of civil industry to meet these challenges,” he concluded.