Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Eighth Report - Defence and Climate Change
Defence Committee
HC 179
Published 18 August 2023
Recommendations
3
Accepted
Para 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 …
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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.
Ministry of Defence
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4
Accepted
Para 42
Set out investment opportunities for fitting low-carbon energy on defence estates by 2030.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Defence should set out the balance of investment opportunities around accelerating the fitting of low-carbon energy sources to the defence estate in the UK and abroad to achieve ‘estate net zero’ by 2030. Although this will require …
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Government Response Summary
The government outlines that it has already amended building standards, is undertaking current activities like 'no regrets' asset actions, site-based energy campaigns, solar PV installations, and implementing energy management systems, all contributing to the public sector's Net Zero by 2050 pathway.
Ministry of Defence
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8
Accepted
Para 61
Encourage UN and IPCC to update military emissions reporting and urge NATO transparency.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Defence should work with other UK government partners to encourage the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to update their reporting framework so emissions from military fuel use and …
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Government Response Summary
The government stated that military fuel use emissions are already included in the UK's National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and published in MOD's Annual Report, with the MOD continuing to work on reporting. It also noted that NATO has already published its greenhouse gas emissions methodology, which the MOD actively supports and will remain engaged with.
Ministry of Defence
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10
Rejected
Publish in-depth annual review of Defence climate performance and explain reporting discrepancies.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Defence should return to publishing a more in-depth, stand-alone annual review of its climate and sustainability performance, with independent verification of emissions measuring and reporting. It should commission work to better understand total defence carbon emissions. It …
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Government Response Summary
The government explains the discrepancy in reported emissions figures as due to a re-baselining in FY21-22 that expanded the scope of reporting. However, it explicitly states there are currently no plans to return to a stand-alone annual review of its climate and sustainability performance.
Ministry of Defence
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Conclusions (12)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 24
The 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 …
Government Response Summary
The government states that the UK is committed to working with allies in the 'High North' and that the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is already responding to and actively monitoring climate change impacts and security dynamics in the region.
2
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 29
Military equipment will need to be adapted to operate effectively under the more extreme temperature ranges that are predicted, as well to help reduce emissions, although this should be achieved without compromising military capability. This process cannot be delayed; more than a 1,000 new tanks and other armoured vehicles with …
Government Response Summary
The government details ongoing and planned decarbonisation efforts, including clearing all Defence air platforms for 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blends, investing £14 million with a further £13 million programmed for Battlefield Electrification trials, and designing future naval platforms for through-life adaptability to new energy sources.
5
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 43
This balance of investment analysis should also be applied to the housing stock as, in conjunction with wider upgrades, it could enhance the living conditions of Service personnel and their families, thereby improving retention.
Government Response Summary
The government committed to undertaking a significant accommodation investment strategy review, incorporating Net Zero and energy factors, which is planned to conclude by the end of 2023.
6
Conclusion
Accepted
The Ministry of Defence should assess whether continued reductions in the size of the Armed Forces will likely result in Defence accepting fewer MACA tasks requested by Government over the coming decades, and if so should ensure wider Government is fully aware of the implications of this, including the need …
Government Response Summary
The government has commissioned DSTL to undertake a review of Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) activity, due for completion by end 2023. This review will assess historical engagement, future predictions based on climate change, and operational risks, which could inform future discussions on alternative capacity.
7
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 60
Undertaking the role of global leader is not easy. Rear Admiral Paul Beattie, Director Naval Staff, Royal Navy, recently described the measures necessary for climate change adaption in the military as the “… biggest change programme in defence”. He noted that, unusually for technology, countries “can’t look to the US” …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges NATO's new methodology for greenhouse gas emissions and commits to remaining actively engaged with NATO initiatives to influence and share experiences on emissions data collection and improvement.
9
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 66
Measuring and reporting against the total defence carbon emission figure would support both the Government’s agenda of reducing emissions to net zero by 2050, but also provide a gold standard of military emissions reporting for other countries to emulate. Good practice would be to ensure these figures are independently verified.
Government Response Summary
The government states it already publishes emissions data in its Annual Report and Accounts and re-baselined in FY21-22 to capture more directly influenced emissions, with its methodology verified internally. However, it explicitly states there are no plans to independently verify its emission reporting and it does not currently capture Scope 3 emissions from industrial partners, thus not fully meeting the "total" aspect.
11
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 78
The Ministry of Defence is in line to achieve its Greening Government Commitments’ carbon reduction targets early, but these are insufficiently demanding. It appears that the Ministry can meet its targets entirely by taking advantage of the decarbonisation of the National Grid. Targets are hardly stretching if they can be …
Government Response Summary
The government states that for the 2021-25 Greening Government Commitments, Defence agreed a 10% direct emission reduction target against a 2017-18 baseline. Furthermore, MOD officials are actively working with DEFRA and cross-government colleagues on designing the new set of GGCs for 2025-2030, aiming to shape more effective targets.
12
Conclusion
Rejected
Para 86
We welcome the Ministry of Defence’s efforts to expand coverage of carbon emissions, but more needs to be achieved to ensure all Defence emissions are measured. Best commercial practice for promoting emissions reductions and net-zero targets are the Science Based Targets initiatives (SBTi), which can also apply to major suppliers …
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly states it is not planning on using Science Based Targets (SBT) for Defence, citing potential undermining of capabilities. While major suppliers were already obliged to publish climate reduction plans from September 2021 under PPN 06/21, HMG guidance states SBTs are not aligned with these requirements.
13
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 88
We note with interest the RAF setting itself a demanding target for reducing carbon emissions—a decade ahead of the Government’s 2050 goal—and look forward to examining the detailed plan for how it will be achieved. The RAF has also set out clear milestones towards achieving its 2040 ambition, aiming for …
Government Response Summary
The government states that the Royal Navy is focused on setting ambitious emissions reduction targets for the next 10 years and limiting mid-term impacts. For the Army, further work is required to fully establish operational emissions and carbon sequestration potential, while departmental work on understanding risks and decarbonisation is being further matured.
14
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 89
Nor do the various organisations within Defence separately report their emissions publicly, so gauging progress towards their targets is not yet possible. Top-Level Budget holders and other significant enabling organisations should report their emissions separately starting with the 2023–24 Annual Report & Accounts, with emission reduction targets ideally set over …
Government Response Summary
The government commits to assessing whether Top Level Budget holder and Enabling Organisations' emissions should also be reported as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, as part of its ongoing commitment to improve emissions reporting.
15
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 93
Given increasing scientific concerns around failing to hold to the 1.5° limit on warming and the need for Defence to transition from establishing a comprehensive baseline of carbon emissions in Epoch 1 to significantly reducing emissions in Epoch 2, having the climate change director also responsible for the Union and …
Government Response Summary
The government's response for this conclusion consists only of a page reference and provides no substantive comment on the committee's observation that the dual responsibility of the climate change director may be too distracting.
16
Conclusion
Rejected
The Ministry of Defence should appoint a dedicated climate change director who would be able to fully focus on coordinating carbon reductions across the whole of Defence, including holding separate commands and organisations to account for progress in reducing emissions against their individual goals and measuring and reporting that progress …
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation to appoint a dedicated climate change director, stating that the existing Levelling Up, Union, Climate Change and Sustainability (LUCCS) Directorate already coordinates these areas, and that combining these responsibilities brings together the three pillars of sustainability within the MOD.