The book, Climate Security and the Military: Concepts, Strategies, and Partnerships, edited by Georg Frerks, Rinze Geertsma, Jeroen Klomp, and Tom Middendorp, explores the critical intersection between climate change, security, and military operations. Through a structured four-part framework, the text discusses how climate change amplifies security risks and challenges, the potential for military roles in adaptation and mitigation, and innovative strategies that the military can employ to address these emerging threats.

Part 1: Understanding the Climate-Security Nexus

The initial chapters present the climate-security nexus by linking climate change to increased geopolitical tensions, resource scarcity, and natural disasters that strain both civilian and military infrastructures. Tom Middendorp, a former Chief of Defense Staff for the Netherlands, emphasizes that climate-related risks, such as food and water shortages, directly impact security by destabilizing already fragile regions. This section also examines disaster studies and introduces the concept of “climate intelligence,” a military-driven approach to collecting climate data that helps predict and manage security risks.

Part 2: Designing Climate Security Strategies and Partnerships

The second part of the book addresses the design of comprehensive climate security strategies, focusing on policy frameworks and partnerships. The authors propose a climate security intervention framework that emphasizes multi-level stakeholder collaboration, illustrated through case studies like Iraq. This section advocates for integrating climate security into the 3D (development, diplomacy, defense) approach and addresses the influence of climate misinformation, suggesting that coordinated action from defense, academia, and industry is crucial.

The book also underscores the need for sustainable military supply chains and improved reporting on environmental sustainability in defense organizations. These strategies not only support operational endurance but also encourage the military to adopt environmentally conscious practices, which can lessen the ecological footprint of defense activities.

Part 3: Military Adaptation to Climate Change

As climate impacts worsen, militaries globally must adapt to support crisis management and disaster response. In this section, authors argue for shifting the military’s approach from reactive crisis response to proactive resilience-building in areas prone to climate-induced disasters. Novel interventions for flood resilience and securing critical infrastructure, particularly sustainable energy infrastructure at sea, are explored. Military collaboration with civilian agencies and organizations is highlighted as essential for effective crisis response and infrastructure protection.

Part 4: Mitigation and Sustainable Operations

The final part explores the military’s role in climate mitigation through sustainable operational changes and potential geopolitical implications of techniques like solar geoengineering. Chapters in this section examine how renewable energy and sustainable practices can be incorporated into the operations of various branches, including the army, navy, and air force. These initiatives include the adoption of alternative fuels, reduced emissions, and energy-efficient technologies.

The book concludes with a discussion on solar geoengineering as both a potential climate mitigation strategy and a geopolitical risk, due to concerns around state sovereignty and the unintended consequences of such interventions.

Overall, Climate Security and the Military highlights how militaries can be instrumental in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, advocating for a holistic approach that combines environmental sustainability with security considerations across operational, strategic, and policy levels​