Climate Change and Energy Security

RUSI’s research addresses climate change as the backdrop to all national security, defence and foreign policy discourses.



Climate Change and Energy Security

Andrius from Pexels: Cracked dry land


Climate change is both an existential threat to humanity and a threat multiplier. With expertise across a range of themes and geographies, we assess the implications of climate change through geopolitical, defence and security lenses.

Our research produces leading commentary on how climate change intersects with ‘traditional’ security issues at the local, regional, institutional and international levels. Ongoing research includes horizon scanning of new trends in organised environmental crime; commentary on the security of nuclear weapons’ storage in a warming world; and the implications of a renewed interest in space travel. We lead several international Track 1 and 2 dialogues on topics including energy security, climate mitigation and governance of global commons. 

Our unparalleled access and cross-cutting expertise make RUSI the home of commentary on climate change, defence and security.

Andrius from Pexels: Cracked dry land



  • Keynote Recordings: Clean Energy Industries Conference 2024

    Keynote Recordings: Clean Energy Industries Conference 2024

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  • Recording: Great Power Competition in the Arctic and High North

    Recording: Great Power Competition in the Arctic and High North

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  • Recording: Securing Supply Chains for Decarbonisation

    Recording: Securing Supply Chains for Decarbonisation

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Our experts


Dr Liam O’Shea

Former RUSI Senior Research Fellow

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Dan Marks

Research Fellow for Energy Security

Cyber

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Cathy Haenlein

Director of Organised Crime and Policing Studies

Organised Crime and Policing

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Anne-Marie Weeden

Senior Research Fellow | SHOC Network Member - Researcher

Organised Crime and Policing

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Juliana Suess

Research Fellow, Space Security

Military Sciences

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Dr Neil Melvin

Director, International Security

International Security

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Claudia Wallner

Research Fellow

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Dr Jessica White

Acting Director of Terrorism and Conflict Studies

Terrorism and Conflict

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Fellows


Jennifer Cole

Associate Fellow

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Duncan Depledge

Associate Fellow

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Professor Lorraine Elliott

Senior Associate Fellow - Expert in environmental crime, climate and environmental security

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Isabel Hilton OBE

Senior Associate Fellow

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Genevieve Kotarska

Associate Fellow | SHOC Network Member - Researcher

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Alexandria Reid

Associate Fellow | SHOC Network Member - Researcher

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Henry Sanderson

Associate Fellow

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Dr Sarah Ashbridge

Affiliate Expert

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Programmes

Access RUSI's cross-cutting Climate Security Research Programme.

Energy and Security Programme

Energy and Security Programme

UK National Security and the Net Zero Transition

UK National Security and the Net Zero Transition

Interrogating Corruption Risk in Voluntary Carbon Markets

Interrogating Corruption Risk in Voluntary Carbon Markets

Environmental Crime in a Warming World

Environmental Crime in a Warming World

Climate and Environmental Activism

Climate and Environmental Activism

Greening Defence

Greening Defence

Climate, Energy and Security in the Middle East

Climate, Energy and Security in the Middle East

Transatlantic Dialogue on China

Transatlantic Dialogue on China

UK - Australia Track 1.5 Bilateral Dialogue

UK - Australia Track 1.5 Bilateral Dialogue

Podcasts


Access our podcast series on energy and environmental security

Environmental Security Podcasts

SHOC articles


Read articles from ‘Nature, Guns and Money’, produced by the Strategic Hub for Organised Crime Research (SHOC)

The UNCAC’s Role in Tackling Corruption related to Environmental Crimes

5 Jan, 2022 - Forward Look by The UNCAC Coalition Environmental Crime and Corruption Working Group

Achieving Effective Biodiversity Protection During War and Armed Conflict

10 Dec, 2021 - Forward Look by Adrian Garside

Moving Beyond the Slogan: Operationalising ‘Follow the Money’ Approaches to Illegal Wildlife Trade in Uganda 

6 Oct, 2021 - Situation report by Cathy Haenlein

Cheating the System: Where Permits Come as Freely as the Wildlife

28 September, 2021 - Forward Look by Lauren Young

Authoritarianism is a Trap: How China Undermines its own Promises on the Environment

14 Sep, 2021 - Situation Report by Dr Tim Wittig

Laundering Shark Species in the Pacific: The Trail of the Fin

5 Jun, 2021 - Situation Report by Dr Alejandro Lerch

The Role of Beneficial Ownership in Combating IUU Fishing

4 Jun, 2021 - Forward Look by Alexandria Reid, Jessa Rose Dury-Agri, Austin Brush and Duncan Copeland

Preventing Future Zoonotic Pandemics: US Pandemic Relief Bill

27 May, 2021 - By Dr Tim Wittig

Read more articles from Nature, Guns & Money

Research report


China, EU and US cooperation on climate and energy

The first of the research papers to be published as part of the Transatlantic Dialogue on China project, focusing on energy security and climate change.

Latest publications

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