This year’s edition of the Defence Forces Review examines the theme of climate change, security and defence – a global issue but one important for Ireland and the Irish Defence Forces too. As the impacts of climate change have become clearer in the last few years, there has been growing debate about the relationship between climate change and security, as well as on the implications of climate change for defence policies and armed forces and the roles of militaries in responding to climate change. Does it make sense to think about climate change as a security issue or is it better understood in socioeconomic terms or as a humanitarian/human rights issue? Will militaries be asked to take on new roles in a world impacted by climate change (for example, in providing assistance to governments in response to climate-related crises or undertaking international humanitarian assistance operations)? Armed forces are also often significant generators of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: how can militaries reduce GHG emissions from their activities? Ireland has lead arguments within the United Nations (UN) for addressing the security consequences of climate change, but there is no consensus on this issue within the UN Security Council (or the UN more broadly): how is this issue likely to play out and what role can Ireland play? The Irish Defence Forces are committed to responding to climate change, but this is a relatively new agenda: what projects and activities are underway and how can the Defence Forces deliver on this issue?
Papers are invited which explore the theme of climate change, security and defence in detail. They may take as their focus any one, or a combination of the issues and questions noted above. Papers may be focused on Ireland, the Irish Defence Forces, but also the broader issue of climate change, security and defence. However, in all cases topics should be relevant to our theme and must be of interest to the audience for the Defence Forces Review. Submissions are invited, inter alia, to address the following questions/issues:
• Does it make sense to think about climate change or its impacts as security issues? Or is there a danger that the securitisation of climate change will lead to inappropriate or unhelpful policy responses or distract attention from the goal of reducing the GHG emissions that drive climate change? How are global political debates on this issue playing out, in the UN and in other contexts?
• An increasing number of countries have incorporated climate change into their national security thinking and official national security strategy and defence policy documents. Are there distinctive national responses to climate change as a security issue?
• How has Ireland responded to climate change and where do security and defence fit into the overall national response to climate change?
• How have the European Union and NATO responded to the climate change, security and defence agenda?
• Climate change is altering the operating conditions in which armed forces function (for example, through hotter temperatures and more turbulent seas and airspace conditions). What challenges does this pose for armed forces and how are they responding to them? How is this issue likely to be relevant for the Irish Defence Forces?
• Are the impacts of climate change likely to result in increased demand for particular types of military operations or new types of military (e.g., humanitarian operations, population rescue operations, etc)? What challenges is this likely to pose for armed forces? How may the Irish Defence Forces contribute to such operations and what will be the likely force requirements?
• Armed forces are significant producers of GHG emissions, including through overseas operations and exercises? What can armed forces do to reduce GHG emissions from their activities?
• Armed forces are important partners in technology development. Can armed forces play a role in driving or supporting the development of green technology. What projects are the Irish Defence Forces involved in?
• As the impacts of climate change are becoming more severe, there is growing debate on the possible deployment of solar geoengineering – solar radiation modification (SRM) – as part of efforts to limit temperature increases. This raises a range of difficult political and ethical issues. What role might armed forces play in the deployment of solar geoengineering? What norms and institutions should govern such activity.
The 2024 Defence Forces Review will be published in collaboration with the University College Cork and we are delighted to have as part of the joint editorial team: Prof. Andrew Cottey, Lt/Cdr Stuart Armstrong and Comdt Gavin Egerton. The Defence Forces Review will be launched in January 2025. Based on the above, the editorial team are inviting contributions to the Defence Forces Review 2024. In the first instance, 300 word abstracts and a brief biographical note (no more than 200 words), should be submitted no later June 14th 2024. Based on the review of abstracts, the editorial team will invite final contributions. Final submissions should not exceed 3,000 words, should be referenced in accordance with the Chicago Referencing Style, be in Word (.docx) or equivalent format, and are due no later than September 15th 2024. Final contributions will be subject to a full peer review process and the editorial team will make final editorial decisions. All abstracts and subsequent final submissions should be directed to dfreview@military.ie and by the deadlines stated above.
