UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Retired military leaders urged NATO to fund renewables from defence budgets, saying clean energy is vital for Europe’s security against threats like Russia.
As reported by The Guardian, a group of retired armed forces officers has urged governments to include renewable energy investment within defence budgets, warning that the climate crisis poses a serious security threat.
The ex-officers are urging increased spending on renewable energy to strengthen the UK and European nations against Russian aggression and other threats.
NATO nations have pledged to spend 3.5% of GDP on armed forces, weapons, and “core” defence, with an additional 1.5% for “critical infrastructure” like civil preparedness.
What did military experts write in their letter on low-carbon energy?
A group of former military officers wrote to European leaders urging them to include low-carbon energy in the NATO 1.5% spending pledge, according to a letter.
They wrote,
“We must end our dependence on foreign oil and gas. A reliance on fossil fuels makes our countries less secure. It leaves us susceptible to huge price spikes during times of conflict – as we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine.”
They added,
“To help unlock the investments needed to achieve energy sovereignty, and ensure we stop handing over billions of dollars a year to the Kremlin, we urge you to push for spending on renewable and low-carbon energy to be counted as part of the NATO 1.5% target.”
The signatories include:
- Tom Middendorp, former Chief of Defence of the Netherlands
- Air Marshal Sir Graham Stacey, former Chief of Staff of NATO Allied Command Transformation
- Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, former senior Royal Navy officer and now Professor of Climate and Resource Security at University College London
- Retired Brigadier John Deverell, former UK Director of Defence Diplomacy
- Retired Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw, Chair of the Centre for Economic Security and former Chief of Defence Logistics in the UK Strategic Command
What did retired officers say about renewable energy and national security?
Retired Lt Gen Richard Nugee, a signatory of the letter, said renewable energy offers greater security than relying on additional gas.
He stated that wind turbines, solar panels, and other renewables are more dispersed and less vulnerable to attack.
Mr Nugee added,
“To have a strong military deterrence, we need a resilient homeland. If we want to build a resilient country, low-carbon energy is a very important component.”
Vice Admiral Ben Bekkering, former senior Royal Netherlands Navy officer and current partner at the International Military Council on Climate and Security, said governments must consider threats from a broader perspective.
He added,
“We need to find ways to look at security from a wider perspective than just the military. By finding ways to increase our military, economic and ecological sustainability, we stand a chance [against aggression].
Senior military officials are warning of the potential impacts of the climate crisis, but it remains unclear if government leaders are treating it as a priority.
A report by the Joint Intelligence Committee highlighting the threat to Britain from the collapse of key ecosystems like the Amazon was blocked by Downing Street earlier this month.
Countries are cutting overseas aid, including support for nations affected by climate change, even as they expand their defence budgets.
Experts said governments should invest more in overseas climate finance, suggesting funds could come from national security budgets to protect their own interests.
What did Gareth Redmond-King say about clean energy and national security?
Gareth Redmond-King, head of the international programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank, stated,
“Clean energy is the route to net zero – the only solution we have to halting climate change and avoiding ever worsening impacts. And clean energy offers greater national security, if we want to end our reliance on authoritarian states that control so much of the world’s fossil fuels, at least one of whose wars have driven up household energy prices so much in recent years.”
What did Keir Starmer say about prioritising defence over public services?
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to make the UK “battle-ready” while launching a defence review to tackle threats from countries like Russia, which he said endanger the nation.
As debate grows over funding the prime minister’s plan to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament, Mr Starmer said defence must be prioritised over other public services.
He stated,
“[The defence review] is a blueprint to make Britain safer and stronger, a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities.”
The Labour leader said,
“Russia is already menacing our skies and our waters, and threatening cyber-attacks, so this is a real threat we’re dealing with.”
The prime minister added,
“I am not, as the prime minister of a Labour government, going to make a commitment as to the precise date until I can be sure precisely where the money is coming from, how we can make good on that commitment, because I don’t believe in performative fantasy politics, and certainly not on defence and security,”
Mr Starmer continued,
“We had a commitment for 2.5% by the end of this parliament. We pulled that right forward to 2027. We showed that when we say there’s a new era of the defence and [that] security of our country is our first priority – as it is – that we meant it. We take the same approach to 3%.”
What did Yvette Cooper say about Russia and NATO?
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Russia is violating its obligations under the UN Charter with attacks on Ukraine and reckless incursions into Polish, Romanian, and Estonian airspace.
She stated,
“These latest acts are dangerous and reckless. At worst, they are a deliberate attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of sovereign nations and European security. They risk miscalculation, they open the door to direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia.”
Ms Cooper said,
“NATO’s combined strength is unparalleled and its determination to defend peace and security is unshakeable.”
The foreign secretary stated,
“To President Putin, I say your reckless actions risk a direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia. Our alliance is defensive, but be under no illusion.”
She added,
“We stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend Nato skies and Nato’s territory. We are vigilant. We are resolute, and if we need to confront planes that are operating in Nato airspace without permission, then we will do so.”
Ms Cooper continued,
“Russia’s imperialist warmongering is a threat to international peace and security. It is a threat to the values and principles that underpin this organisation, this organisation that has done so much to support stability and prosperity these past 80 years, we must counter it for the sake of us all.”
What sanctions did Trump propose against Russia over Ukraine attacks?
US President Donald Trump plans to impose sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, along with dozens of their subsidiaries.
The US Treasury sanctioned Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil to degrade the Kremlin’s ability to fund its “war machine,” marking the first such sanctions during this term.
The sanctions were announced alongside a call for Russia to agree to an “immediate ceasefire” in Ukraine.