Low-carbon warfare: climate change, net zero and military operations

Abstract

Abstract Defence has a carbon problem. The strengthening of net-zero emissions targets in response to the deepening climate crisis is forcing militaries to find answers to the question of how to wield force effectively within the constraints of a net-zero world. This article introduces the concept of ‘low-carbon warfare’ as a means of capturing recent developments, the extent to which they dovetail with existing concerns regarding the business of war in the twenty-first century, and the prospect of significant changes to how militaries operate in the years ahead as the global energy transition unfolds. The article demonstrates that the pursuit of low-carbon warfare will not be easy owing to the practical challenges of transitioning militaries away from fossil fuels. Moreover, low-carbon warfare will not mitigate all the ethical and environmental concerns associated with military deployments up to and including war. It does nevertheless offer a valuable starting point for conceptualizing how militaries are beginning to address their ‘carbon bootprints’ and what this will mean for future operations.