The ‘climate’ challenge has finally arrived at the IDF. As an additional strategic approach, the IDF formulates: “Working Together to Create a Stronger and Greener IDF”.
Following an international conference COP 27 in Egypt on climate change, the Israeli Ground Forces initiated a climate summit to make the IDF greener. The Multi-Year Plan Branch in the Ground Forces’ Planning Division, in cooperation with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), held a learning conference on climate change with a glance into the next 50 years.
And the results are without doubt important. In a recent press release the IDF. “”In 2070, the climate will be radically different and adjustments need to be made in order to adapt. It may feel like a long time off, but processes like this don’t happen right away. To ensure that the IDF will be prepared, we need to begin preparations now.”– LTC Yishai, Head of the Ground Forces’ Multi-Year Plan Branch.
Challenges are as described pars pro toto are: “Extreme heat waves and large-scale sandstorms could prevent IDF troops from going on field training for many days. Continuous and thick fog can disable a soldier from seeing his fellow soldier standing a few meters away. Severe snow storms could simply reduce the soldiers’ movement capabilities. These are just a few examples of how the IDF has to train for climate change challenges that are completely different from the challenges they are facing right now.”
Exemplary one project is named in the press release: “Projects are already in the works on how to create a greener future in the IDF. One of the projects is a pilot where we will turn organic fertilizer into gas in a technological–chemical process. The gas will then heat the water on IDF bases. Streamlining programs have also begun replacing old and high-consuming technology with new and economical ones. The most recent advancement was purchasing hybrid electric cars for the IDF.”
Finally, the bigger plan is still in preparation, but the Head of the Multi-Year Plan declared that several projects have already been launched.