This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC) comes in the wake of a security revolution in Europe borne from the invasion of Ukraine, examples of this being the German “Zeitenwende”, the Danish “Nationalt kompromis” and the abandonment of military neutrality from Sweden and Finland. It has spurred a rethink of defence investments and the approach European countries have to Security. This increase in demand for weapon systems has arguably shifted the concerns of policy makers away from climate security and sustainability challenges, and instead focused them on traditional hard security threats.
European defence should look beyond increased production of existing tools and seek to spend this political and economic capital on diversification of energy sources and research and development. Energy insecurity is arguably the greatest short-term threat to European security, while climate change poses more long-term threats to the cohesion and stability of Europe. The conference presents an opportunity to react to these threats by promoting alternative visions for a militarily strengthened Europe through the reinvention of energy systems and greater investments in the next generation of military equipment.
The MSC is already taking steps to incorporate non-traditional security topics into the conference. A greater emphasis on human security and sustainability with a call for events based around these themes demonstrates the conferences wish that these issues feature more prominently in ongoing security debates. The conference is an opportune forum to discuss how militaries can contribute to a more sustainable world in the face of a changing climate, both with regards to limiting their own impact and elaborating upon national contingency plans to respond to climate catastrophes.
However, these investments risk becoming uncoordinated and ineffective due to the historical national prerogative which defence spending is considered to be a part of. Without clear synergies the risk of crossover or even a siloed approach to planning is high, especially in the fields of energy security and military adaptation to climate change. The MSC this year can thus play a pivotal role in incorporating concerns about energy supply chains and low-carbon military reforms into military budgets and policies.
Militaries are notorious for their high consumption of energy and fuels. This not only creates a high carbon footprint, but leaves these institutions vulnerable to supply shocks in the energy market, and the good-will of petroleum exporters. Organisations such as IMCCS, who this year will host an event on energy security at the MSC, have sought to promote green defence initiatives that address these dependencies. Such initiatives help to lay the foundation for military decisionmakers to take the bold first step of transitioning towards net-zero warfare.
MSC can help to link stakeholders and promote specialisations on a national level. The universality of the climate crisis requires a multilateral response. Militaries in Europe should seek to develop national specialisations that synergise to provide a comprehensive European response to the issue of climate change. This will ensure that multiple national militaries do not simply replicate work done in other countries, making reductions and reforms more efficient. An opportune role for the MSC would be to discuss how NATO countries in particular can contribute to this synergising, especially through their centres of excellence such as CCASCOE a new centre being established with the potential to help fill this gap, by revamping the commitments of NATO countries to ensure their militaries are both able to respond to emerging crises and take responsibility for reaching net-zero.
If the MSC is to contribute to the preservation of a liberal world order, it must seek to push military and political decisionmakers to innovate and rethink their approach to defence policy. The conference is a unique opportunity to advocate for a new modus of defence spending and development, one that accounts for persistent security gaps within Europe and beyond.
This year's Munich Security Conference will take place from the 17th to the 19th of March in Munich. To read more about the topics covered in the conference and potential events visit their website here.