Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
Paragraph: 30
Undertake research to adapt UK Armed Forces operations for future extreme climatic conditions.
Recommendation
Defence should undertake research and assess best practice from academia, industry, allies and partners on operating in demanding environments and 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. It should also push hard to reduce carbon emissions from its equipment, without eroding military capability.
Government Response Summary
The government detailed extensive ongoing work, including proactive engagement with academia, industry, and allies to assess best practices, and the transfer of assessment tools. It also highlighted existing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, such as the Net Zero Aviation Strategy, fitting new vessels with reduction technology, and investing in Army battlefield electrification.
Paragraph Reference:
30
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
A critical part of the MOD’s approach to Climate Change has been, and will continue to be, proactive engagement and partnering with academia, industry and Allies and Partners. With Allies and Partners, the Department has adopted a transparent approach, sharing its methodologies and exchanging key artefacts with NATO and key partners such as the USA, France and Australia. External artefacts such as the NATO Climate Action Plan and the US National Intelligence Strategy are also being drawn on to inform the MOD’s own activity. Defence has already benefited from these interactions with the transfer of the US Defence Climate Assessment Tool to the UK MOD which has added to existing estate resilience planning. Through the Defence Suppliers Forum (DSF), the MOD is working with industry to understand climate-related risks to the Defence Enterprise and build sector decarbonisation pathways. An example of this shared approach is the publication of the Defence’s Net Zero Aviation Strategy in Jul 23, as well as collaboration on initiatives such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Looking forward, the private sector has already begun to implement more stringent climate risk reporting to comply with new accounting standards established by the Task Force for Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).2 As an early adopter of Central Government’s response to TCFD the MOD will, through the DSF, be seeking to leverage industry’s lessons learnt to inform its own actions. Finally, a recent example of ongoing work with academia is the publication in May of ‘Climate Change Dilemmas for UK Defence and Security.’3 This was a study from the Global Strategic Partnership led by RAND Europe, commissioned by the MOD’s Levelling Up, Union, Climate Change and Sustainability Directorate (LUCCS), DSTL, the Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge (SONAC) and the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC). The study explores the future implications of climate change on defence and security. This relationship with academia will be an increasing part of the Department’s response. The MOD’s Strategic Approach to Climate Change and Sustainability states that ‘Defence must preserve its capabilities despite the impact of climate change…while never compromising capability solely for a sustainable solution.’ This is why its ambition is to reduce emissions and contribute to the achievement of the Net Zero Commitment, whilst ensuring there is no detrimental impact on the UK’s ability to fight and win in ever more hostile and unforgiving world. Specific decarbonisation work, which in many cases has operational benefits, is being driven forward through the MOD’s Top Level Budget (TLB) holders supported by its Enabling Organisations as well as Industry Partners. Examples include: • Air. All Defence air platforms have been cleared to use a 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend, with the first SAF-powered military transporter flight taking place in November 2022. This positions the MOD to take advantage of SAF with the added benefit of reducing lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%, while improving operational effectiveness. The RAF is also leading the way in technology development such as Project GLADIATOR, linking synthetic training systems from across the Land, Maritime and Air domains, supporting sustainability initiatives by helping to reduce the environmental footprint of collective training. It will allow for more complex training to occur in a structured setting and reduce the cost of carrying out real life training while helping to reduce carbon emissions. This will reduce the amount of live flying required to maintain operational advantage whilst mitigating the climate impact of live flying. Similarly, the RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office has recently announced a partnership to produce two experimental aircraft, exploring novel propulsion technologies and how they can be applied to military capabilities. • Maritime. The Royal Navy has already brought into service River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels fitted with catalytic reduction that can reduce nitrogen-based emissions by up to 97%. Looking ahead, it is building through-life adaptability into future platform designs, such as the new Fleet Solid Support ships. This will ensure maximum flexibility for insertion of developing technologies, such as vessel design features to meet the challenge that many future maritime energy sources will be low flashpoint fuels. • Land. The Army has invested c.£14 million in Battlefield Electrification, with a further £13 million programmed, which will inform hybrid-electric requirements for future capabilities. Trials will deliver robust military evidence and assessment, allowing the Army to commit to investment decisions for both current (in-service) and future capabilities. Testing to date has indicated that Hybrid Electric Drive will offer long term savings by reducing logistics requirements and simplifying the supply chain, all while