Middendorp attends Austrian World Summit where experts examine relationship between defense and climate crisis. The conference is hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger, former actor, former governor of California and climate activist.
‘When I was still in the military, I didn’t worry much about the climate. It’s mostly about safety.’
“When I was still in the military, I didn’t worry much about the weather,” Middendorp admits. “It’s mostly about safety. Climate change seems like something far away that others are working on.’
disruptive effect
But during the mission, the former military commander saw how climate change can actually affect security during operations. “You can already see how it has a disruptive effect on societies and how it will therefore also determine our future security environment.”
On the one hand, the Defense must take greater account of the consequences that already exist. “We need to integrate climate impact into our intelligence analysis because it’s a source of future conflicts,” he says. “And we also need to better protect our vital infrastructure, such as ports.”
Double benefit
On the other hand, the military itself can also reduce its emissions. This has several advantages, says Middendorp. “Defense can become more self-sufficient with new technology and reduce its emissions at the same time.”
According to the former commander, there is more and more movement in this area. “NATO has taken it up and the EU is also including the climate crisis in its security policy.”