The defence and security forces of any country have plenty to contend with. Budgets are shrinking, price tags are climbing and threats are growing in complexity. At the same time, the world is heating up, meaning that the environment to which a force is deployed is going to be hotter and more extreme with each passing year. Climate change is already creating instability, elevating risks of violence and disaster that require armed forces to restore order. This trend will grow, adding to the burden of military budgets. Simultaneously, many militaries are under pressure to reduce their own environmental impact, which requires greater co-operation with civilian industry at all levels. Failure to address these issues in good time will have consequences for every society.
In a defence context, it is not simply about reducing carbon emissions for the sake of meeting net-zero targets, or a matter of great-power competition. It is about preparing to deploy to more extreme environments, for example, extremely hot or dry, without risking human lives or compromising fighting ability.
Of course, there are moral benefits, but militaries will always prioritise fighting capabilities above all else. Until recently, climate change was not understood to have played a role in shaping capability requirements.
Defence cannot afford to wait for the consequences of climate change to dictate its pace of development
Science suggests that current patterns of global warming will result in rising sea levels, increased resource insecurity, more regular natural disasters and mass migration. In many cases, armed forces will be used to manage the response.
In 2016, riots erupted in the Indian city of Bengaluru over water disputes with a neighbouring state. Businesses were ransacked, and people were killed and injured. A severe drought in 2019 led to protests in the Indian city of Chennai, and in 2022, both India and Pakistan suffered a long and hot summer with droughts and floods. These events are growing in frequency around the world, giving rise to the potential for conflict or instability – especially in those countries with very high rates of poverty.
Though these issues are often seen as factors that might increase the potential for conflict, they are often communicated as either a national security risk or a defence risk, but not always both. It is increasingly clear that it is perhaps impossible to separate the two.
Jordan is currently experiencing the effects of water insecurity, and recognises the increased potential for conflict, with Jordan’s former minister of water and irrigation, Hazim El Naser, recalling that a number of Arab uprisings of 2011 “came about in part because of water scarcity”.
Drought-induced food insecurity can also contribute to political upheavals, creating stressors that increase the potential for war, as in Syria. Support to manage such insecurities has the potential to improve interstate relations generally, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.
With militaries continuing to contribute to international disaster relief, we are seeing a shift in the way nations and national armies view the threats that climate change presents. China has long recognised climate change as an urgent threat within its official security policy, in acknowledgement of the risk to its water, food security and energy.
In June 2022, Nato released its “Climate Change and Security Impact Assessment” report, describing climate change as an “overarching challenge of our time” that will only “worsen as the world warms further”. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg describes the need to reduce emissions as vital to ensure that his organisation is able to remain ready to deploy at any chosen time while maintaining operational effectiveness.
As such, it seems likely that governments will continue to demand more from their militaries to manage and protect resources and respond to domestic or international disasters, and so expenditure on climate-related solutions will increase regardless of political support for net-zero.
In the defence space, climate change is not just about responding to the threats that the environment poses to security, it is also about armed forces limiting their impact upon the environment; particularly air forces, as planes typically emit the majority of military emissions.
However, it is not all about carbon. For example, in the naval sector, many nations are experimenting with ways to reduce the impact of ships upon the environment, notably Britain, the US and Sweden. The adoption or incorporation of renewable or sustainable energy sources (such as solar panels, wind farms and alternative fuels) also allows for reduced emissions and expenditure on utilities bills, but has the added security benefit of improving military resilience by reducing its dependency on the national grid for power.
It is in a state’s interests to “greenify”, with Ukraine, Kosovo and Iraq having shown that it is very easy for a force to target a national grid resulting in mass power outages, even with cyber-attacks. Excessive heat can also cause power outages, as California has recently had to consider.
The war in Ukraine stands as a reminder that conflict can occur at any moment. Defence cannot afford to wait for the consequences of climate change to dictate its pace of development. Militaries cannot avoid their obligation to their personnel to provide them with the equipment and capabilities that they need to operate in a climate-changed world.
Emissions associated with shelling and destruction are unavoidable, but it is no longer possible to ignore the need to engage with an increasingly volatile environment. Nations are waking up to the rising number of national security risks, and we cannot be sure of the nature or location of conflict or disaster, but we can be certain that a sustained military response will be required.
ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Brown/Black belt finals
3pm: 49kg female: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) v Thamires Aquino (BRA)
3.07pm: 56kg male: Hiago George (BRA) v Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA)
3.14pm: 55kg female: Amal Amjahid (BEL) v Bianca Basilio (BRA)
3.21pm: 62kg male: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) v Joao Miyao (BRA)
3.28pm: 62kg female: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR)
3.35pm: 69kg male: Isaac Doederlein (BRA) v Paulo Miyao (BRA)
3.42pm: 70kg female: Thamara Silva (BRA) v Alessandra Moss (AUS)
3.49pm: 77kg male: Oliver Lovell (GBR) v Tommy Langarkar (NOR)
3.56pm: 85kg male: Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE) v Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA)
4.03pm: 90kg female: Claire-France Thevenon (FRA) v Gabreili Passanha (BRA)
4.10pm: 94kg male: Adam Wardzinski (POL) v Kaynan Duarte (BRA)
4.17pm: 110kg male: Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE) v Joao Rocha (BRA
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
FOOTBALL TEST
Team X 1 Team Y 0
Scorers
Red card
Man of the Match
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Result:
1. Cecilie Hatteland (NOR) atop Alex - 31.46 seconds
2. Anna Gorbacheva (RUS) atop Curt 13 - 31.82 seconds
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) atop Cash Up - 32.81 seconds
4. Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum (UAE) atop Peanuts de Beaufour - 35.85 seconds
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) atop Benur du Romet - 37.53 seconds
6. Annika Sande (NOR) atop For Cash 2 - 31.42 seconds (4 penalties)
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Listen to Extra Time
The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets