Vanguard Magazine

30 APRIL/MAY 2023 www.vanguardcanada.com and efficiency, and minimizing its environ- mental footprint. Efforts toward greater en- ergy resilience would further contribute to improving the CAF's military performance in the region by overcoming the challenges related to remoteness and mobility. Conceptualizing multi-purpose infrastructure through integrated thinking: Given the extent of the challenge, and the profound nature of the Canadian Arctic infrastructure gap, a whole-of-government effort is required, in partnership with civil society and the private sector, in order to drive defense and energy technology inno- vation and build a multi-purpose, climate- resilient and low-carbon infrastructure benefitting both civilian and military com- munities. Only an inclusive and coordi- nated approach advocated by Indigenous- led organizations such as Arctic360, will ensure that local communities benefit eco- nomically from these investments, and that their cultural practices and self-determina- tion are not threatened. Similarly, efforts to advance climate secu- rity in the Canadian Arctic should focus on understanding the crucial, yet often over- looked, Indigenous traditional knowledge in both the security and scientific domains, and on integrating this knowledge into foresight efforts, decision-making process, and military training and operations. Strengthening continental and transatlantic cooperation: Finally, as issues related to climate change and security transcend boundaries, Canada will need to cooperate with Arctic allies and partners to design innovative solu- tions and capitalize on knowledge and ca- pabilities. In particular, the United States, Can- ada's closest military ally, has boosted its focus on climate security and resilience in recent years, including in the design of the White House's Arctic strategy released in October 2022. The close partnership be- tween Canada and the U.S. should move toward stronger cooperation in respond- ing to climate impacts in the Arctic. This means systematically incorporating the climate factor in joint military training and exercises, and agreeing on equitable investments for the upgrade and climate- resilience of the North Warning System to strengthen continental defense. Transatlantic cooperation with allies and partners will also continue to be key. In this regard, the new NATO Center of Excellence on Climate Change and Secu- rity (CCASCOE), to be hosted in Mon- treal, should serve as a platform to coor- dinate national climate-security efforts in the Arctic and provide guidance for allies and partners to operate sustainably in the region. Activities may include wargaming and simulations that are specific to the cli- mate challenges faced by military forces in the Arctic, as well as harnessing relevant technical expertise - such as Finland and Sweden's green energy industry and inno- vation capacities -, and buttressing part- nerships with local and Indigenous com- munities to ensure responsible operations. By taking the lead on NATO's Arctic en- gagement through CCASCOE, Canada is well positioned to ensure that human se- curity, as well as sovereignty, are thought- fully considered as part of NATO's ascen- sion in the region. Addressing climate security risks in the Canadian Arctic in a proactive, coordinat- ed, and integrated manner will ultimately result in advancing Indigenous recon- ciliation, enhancing continental defense, and establishing Canada as a leader on the international Arctic scene. "Strong at Home, Secure in North America, and En- gaged in the World." Pauline Baudu, is a Senior Fellow at Arc- tic360 (Toronto), Associate at Arctic Secu- rity Consultants (Ottawa) and Nonresident Research Fellow at the Center for Climate and Security (Washington, DC) A R C T I C Canadian Armed Forces Image Gallery via CGAI European Environment Agency (for the section on climate risks for human security) Raytheon Canada Limited via Eye on the Arctic (for the section on climate risks for surveillance radars)

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