From July 9 to 11, hundreds of national security stakeholders will convene in Washington, DC, for the 75th annual North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit. This meeting comes at a critical time for the Alliance, as members navigate ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, rising geopolitical tensions, and consequential elections in its leading member states. Indeed, discussions over Ukraine, deterrence, global partnership, and the turnover from longtime NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to Mark Rutte are expected to dominate the agenda.
However, given the linkages between high-priority agenda items like Ukraine and climate change, the topics below should also be prioritized at the upcoming summit:
1. Planning for Military Responses to Climate Hazards
Climate hazards - such as floods, typhoons, and wildfires - increasingly require the response of member state military assets, generally in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). For example, the Canadian Armed Forces spent more than 100 days firefighting in 2023, and the US National Guard has domestically deployed more than 70 times in the last two years to fight climate hazards.
This uptick raises questions about whether military installations are resilient to climate hazards, whether national forces are prepared to respond, and how multilateral organizations like NATO will balance traditional defense priorities with this new climate reality. As leaders discuss the next 75 years of the Alliance, these shifting requirements should be top of mind.
Additional CCS Resources to Consider:
2. Implementing NATO's Action Plan on Climate and Security
In 2021, NATO adopted an Agenda and Action Plan on Climate and Security, with the ultimate goal of making NATO "the leading international organisation when it comes to understanding and adapting to the impact of climate change on security." Since then, the Alliance has faced some challenges in implementing this Agenda, but recent advances, such as the opening of NATO's Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE), present an opportunity to reinvigorate the Alliance's climate policy.
Along those lines, Summit discussions must address how to leverage CCASCOE, further operationalize this Agenda, and convince climate-skeptical members of the alignment between NATO's climate security work and its other core tasks.
Additional CCS Resources to Consider:
3. Operationalizing the Climate and Human Security Nexus
Recent crises such as extreme weather events in South Asia and instability in the Middle East have demonstrated that human security challenges are closely linked to climate change, including migration, forced displacement, and food insecurity. NATO's Human Security Approach, adopted at the 2022 Madrid Summit, covers related nexus factors, including human trafficking, the protection of children in armed conflict, preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence, the protection of civilians, and cultural property protection. This complements the Alliance's existing Women, Peace, and Security Agenda.
However, with limited resources and member state buy-in, it has been challenging to implement these agendas - and link them to climate security. It will be notable to see whether gender and human security are included in this year's discussions - or if they will continue to be sidelined by other national security priorities.
Additional CCS Resources to Consider:
4. Navigating the Energy Transition
The global energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, combined with the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, has revealed a serious vulnerability for NATO members. Sustainable energy security must be a top priority for global militaries. Still, debates remain about how to navigate the energy transition, ensure that Alliance members aren't dependent on strategic competitors, and prioritize technological investments.
In previous summits, Allies agreed to "invest in stable and reliable energy supplies, suppliers and sources" and mitigate some of their strategic vulnerabilities. While emissions targets remain a national competency, NATO leaders will discuss how to implement those agreements, coordinate with other multilateral organizations, and deter threats to critical infrastructure.
Additional CCS Resources to Consider:
From ongoing support to Ukraine to national defense spending, the upcoming NATO Summit has an undoubtedly packed agenda. However, to appropriately plan for NATO's future operating environment, Alliance leaders must continue to prioritize core elements of the climate security debate: military responses to climate hazards; implementing NATO's Action Plan on Climate and Security; operationalizing the climate and human security nexus; and navigating the energy transition as well.
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