A senior MP has warned melting ice caps will trigger a mineral race and open new routes which Russia could use to reach Europe and North America quickly.
Tory backbencher Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the Defence Committee, told how climate change’s impact on security is “profound and cannot be ignored”.
The first summer that melts practically all of the Arctic’s floating sea ice could occur as early as the 2030s, a study suggested.
He said: “Warmer oceans and melting ice mean in 15 to 20 years the Arctic is predicted to be ice free in the summer.
“New transit routes will open up in the High North, but Russia is already claiming the region for its own, eager to control the new trade routes and exploit any mineral deposits.
“As a result, the Joint Expeditionary Force, a military alliance of 10 north European nations, could prove critical to our safety and security.
“The security implications of climate change are profound and cannot be ignored. But they are currently not fully appreciated, let alone factored into our long-term strategic planning.
“Global security has entered a volatile new chapter. The impact of climate change makes the case for increased defence spending all the more powerful.”
MPs insisted troops’ training and equipment needs to be adapted for extreme temperatures as the earth warms.
Ice breakers on ships may no longer be fit for purpose and ship engines could lose the benefit of the cooler effect of the ocean, the Defence Committee said.
Mr Ellwood said: “As the consequences of climate change are felt across the world, increased instability and insecurity are a real concern. This will place additional pressure on our military.”
“In our report we found that the Armed Forces can expect to have to operate in more demanding environments at more extreme temperatures.
“Adaptability will prove key to our Armed Forces’ success. Equipment must be modified to meet the challenge – warship engines may soon no longer be able to rely on the cooling effect of the seas.”
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) should be more ambitious with its decarbonisation plans and could do much more to cut carbon emissions without sacrificing military efficiency, the report found.
MPs wrote that the MoD, which accounts for half of the Government’s overall emissions, has less ambitious targets than any other department.
It aims to reduce its emissions by 30 per cent by 2025 but this could be achieved by relying solely on decarbonisation of the power grid.
Only the RAF has adequate plans, the committee said, with aims to become net zero by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Government’s 2050 target.
Mr Ellwood, said: “The scientific consensus on climate change is clear and overwhelming: we must reduce carbon emissions dramatically and quickly.
“While we welcome the progress that has been made so far, our report finds that there is much more that the MoD can do to play its part.
“Maintaining the UK’s military capabilities must be given primacy and cannot be subject to compromise. However, the MoD must not hide behind maintaining capabilities as an excuse to avoid making progress elsewhere.”
The Defence Committee wanTs the MoD to report its emissions more transparently and for those figures to be independently verified.
