FINAL REPORT


Resilience, Readiness, and Response

Report of the project on Climate and Security Action through 

Civil-Military Cooperation in Climate-Related Emergencies (Project CASA)


Project CASA studies the extent to which several NATO and non-NATO countries have engaged their national militaries in responding to climate-related emergencies. It examines trends in these responses over time, the degree to which national militaries have the resources and mechanisms needed to prepare for and respond to these emergencies, and the consequences for force composition and readiness from participation in civil protection operations. 

The project does so through an interdisciplinary network of experts who are working to collect, analyse, and publish data on relevant military activities and civil-military cooperation.The project aims to provide actionable data for decision makers, stakeholders, and the wider public on how militaries are working together with civilian emergency management agencies within countries and across international borders.

This  report  contains: 

  • A set of country profiles which explore the Project CASA research questions as they relate to several NATO countries, NATO partners and other countries globally with high climate security risks and/or high civil or military involvement in climate emergencies as well as details on each country’s legal, funding, and operational frameworks and related policies, procedures, and guidelines on military involvement in climate-related emergencies
  • The first cross-national dataset on military involvement in climate-related disasters in both domestic and foreign civil protection operations — both for individual countries and comparatively across countries.
  • A guide to related international / intergovernmental organizations and mechanisms including several involved in civil-military cooperation.

It concludes with policy options and practical recommendations for relevant EU, NATO, UN, and other institutions, member states and civilian stakeholders with whom militaries interact in emergency response including  suggestions for further research and actions to support increased knowledge sharing, cooperation and coordination in the face of growing challenges. 

It also highlights good practices that can be advanced from the bottom-up by local authorities and citizens.

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"As a beneficiary of this report, the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) appreciates its valuable contribution to advancing the understanding of climate security challenges and civil-military cooperation. With CCASCOE researchers participating in both the advisory and expert groups of Project CASA, involvement in this project has provided the centre with useful insights by examining the diverse approaches of allied nations in climate security risk assessment and civil-military collaboration. The recommendations support CCASCOE to consider the role it can play in the future facilitating the sharing of operational lessons and identifying productive partnerships, within Canada but also globally, including NATO’s EADRCC, CMDR COE, EU structures, the Sendai Framework, and other regional institutions, where cooperation can be most effectively strengthened." - Dr. Katie Woodward, Head of Research, Analysis and Lessons Learned Branch, CCASCOE

Project CASA is led by a Coordinating Group composed of 10 representatives from the five Partner Organizations: 

With the participation of the Project CASA Advisory Group and Expert Group.