ABSTRACT

This chapter reviews military involvement in environmental conservation, from the micro level of wildlife conservation on individual military bases to the macro-level contributions military strategists are making to climate change adaptation and mitigation through linking national security to climate. The role of the modern military continues to evolve, as the nature of the threats confronting states in the international system also becomes more fragmented. The increasingly devastating impacts of climate change draws militaries further into environmental security operations. The 2014 CNA report, "National Security and the Accelerating Risks of Climate Change", provides an introduction to the security implications of climate change for militaries in both developed and developing states. Environmental issues also open useful pathways to cooperation and relationship-building, as the involvement of military actors in environmental crisis response demonstrates. Moreover, the increasing ties between climate change-driven natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies, which are often mediated by government competencies, offer a growing vector for increased military involvement in peacekeeping.