Defence in a Climate-Changed World: Futureproofing its Licence to Operate

Militaries should prepare for the physical effects of climate change and for a less permissive attitude towards carbon-intensive organisations. If they do not, they may risk their moral license to operate with domestic and international stakeholders; imperil their physical operating ability in a climatically hostile world; and cede operational advantage to more focused or flexible opponents. A wide range of adversaries (from demilitarisation activists to fielded enemy forces) may exploit these vulnerabilities. Matt Stott defines this risk as the ‘climate flank’ and uses the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to show how this concept can help to underpin the MoD’s future licence to operate and secure battlefield advantage in a climate-changed world.