By Kalyan Sarma, VP of Climate, Environment, and Sustainability Commercialisation at Ploughshare
The UK’s legislative commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 encompasses all sectors, and defence is no exception. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) plays a pivotal role in this endeavour, but it faces a challenging journey. It must at once strive to balance operational effectiveness and environmental responsibility – all the while ensuring that safety of its people on the ground is safeguarded.
Central to this mission is the integration of cutting-edge research and development (R&D) to drive sustainable innovation. Defence research being applied to other areas is not a new concept – and Ploughshare is at the forefront of this. Taking the great science that comes out of the defence R&D sphere, liberating it, scaling it, and deploying it to multiple markets both defence and civilian.
In March 2021, MOD unveiled its Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach, outlining a comprehensive plan to address climate-related challenges and reduce emissions. This strategy sets the stage for defence and net-zero and emphasises the necessity for defence to adapt to a changing climate, enhance resilience, and contribute to the UK’s broader net-zero objectives.
Defence Aviation’s Decarbonisation Efforts
Recognising that a significant portion of the MOD’s carbon footprint stems from aviation, MOD introduced the Defence Aviation Net-Zero Strategy in July 2023. This strategy sets out the steps required to decarbonise military aviation by 2050, thereby ensuring that sustainability measures do not compromise operational readiness.
Key aspects of the strategy include areas such as fuel efficiency improvements in already existing aircraft through technology upgrades and optimised operations, sustainable aviation fuels (or SAFs) that are created to power aviation but reduce carbon emissions, and research into zero-emission propulsion through hydrogen and electric systems for future aircraft. All super interesting stuff, and all aspects of research that have the potential to change the world – not just military operations.
MOD’s sustainability strategy will be underpinned by defence R&D. Without innovation, we probably won’t develop the technologies that we need to reduce environmental impact while maintaining or enhancing defence capabilities. Whether it’s advanced materials that are lightweight and increase fuel efficiency, alternative energy sources to lessen the reliance on fossil fuels, or even better and more energy-efficient infrastructure – innovation is what will bring us closer to achieving our net-zero goals.
Collaborative Efforts and Industry Partnerships
Achieving net-zero emissions is a complex challenge that necessitates collaboration between MOD, industry partners, and academic institutions. MOD actively engages with these stakeholders to accelerate the development and implementation of sustainable technologies. Without external expertise in all areas such as scaling-up, where to invest effectively, and innovate specifically, it is possible that existing initiatives wouldn’t take flight.
Examples of this could be the Defence Suppliers Forum Climate Change and Sustainability Steering Group. This is a platform for MOD and its suppliers to collaborate on sustainability projects, share best practices, and align efforts toward common environmental goals. Another would be the existence of Joint Research Projects, that help MOD by partnering with universities and research institutions to advance studies in areas like sustainable fuel production, energy storage solutions, and climate resilience.
Looking to the future
MOD’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is deeply important. Through defence R&D, defence is poised to pioneer sustainable innovations that will not only transform military operations but also contribute to the UK’s overall environmental objectives. As these efforts progress, it may well be that MOD’s collaboration with industry and academia will serve as a model for how defence organisations worldwide can integrate sustainability into their core missions, ensuring that national security and environmental care go hand in hand.
What does need to be taken into consideration, however, is that some technological developments may be at the expense of others. Recycling is an example that can impact the entire sustainability market. If recycling technology is developed in one area, it could very easily stop other technologies coming in – creating a supply chain lock-in. Balance must be struck, and innovation must be managed, shared, and promoted across multiple supply chain areas and not just one hero section.
MOD’s journey toward net-zero is going to be a collaboration between the power of strategic planning, innovative research, and collaborative partnerships. Defence R&D has the will and has the knowledge to meaningfully contribute to that journey, but it is going to need help from the outside. Through these concerted and collaborative efforts, MOD can achieve a sustainable future that upholds both national security and environmental integrity – and that is a great mix that Ploughshare will be proud to be a part of.
