Ministry Of Defence
Adaptation to the impacts of climate change on the Ministry of Defence estate
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working towards increasing climate resilience and maintaining the operational capacity of the MOD Estate in a changing climate.
Some effects of climate change are already being experienced on the MOD estate, for instance, MOD coastal sites are vulnerable to coastal erosion, fire has been an issue at some training areas during continued dry conditions and IT services have been interrupted during periods of extreme heat.
Existing vulnerabilities are likely to become more challenging as climate changes overtime including increases in extreme weather events. Building resilience to current weather vulnerabilities and planning for long-term changes in climate will enhance the continuity of defence outputs, minimising the costs and damages caused by current weather, as well as in the longer term ensuring that the estate is resilient to a changing climate.
MOD aims to identify the estates vulnerabilities on a site by site basis to effectively build adaptive capacity. To this end, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has developed the Climate Impacts Risk Assessment Methodology (CIRAM), which identifies the risks to defence outputs from current and future climate or extreme weather events, and identifies the actions required to maintain and optimise operational capability.
CIRAM supports the UK Climate Change Act (2008) and the UK Government National Adaptation Programme, the 2011 Greening Government Commitments, the Cabinet Office (CO) Critical Infrastructure Resilience Programme (CIRP), and The UK National Security Strategy (NSS) 2010 A Strong Britain in an Age of Uncertainty.
Biodiversity and nature conservation on the MOD estate
As one of the UKs largest landowners, MOD has a major role to play in the conservation of the UKs natural resources. Stewardship of the estate means that the MOD has responsibility for some of the most unspoilt and remote areas in Britain; with statutory obligations to protect the protected habitats and the species that they support. Everyone using the MOD estate, whether Service or Civilian, has a duty to minimise adverse effects on the environment.
Background
The MOD estate has been acquired gradually, principally over the last 200 years. Its wide geographical distribution, past and current stewardship and position on marginal land means that it contains an extensive range of the habitats and species to be found in the UK. Its exceptional quality has attracted numerous national, European and international nature conservation designations. This confers a heavy responsibility on those charged with its stewardship, and is also a source of considerable pride.
The need to provide realistic training across challenging and demanding terrain in a variety of environments, as well as ranges, munitions stores and communication sites, means that MOD has responsibility for some of the most unspoilt and remote areas in Britain, the largest of which is defence training estate Salisbury Plain, which extends over 38,000 hectares.
In 1973, the Nugent Report recommended the establishment of a MOD conservation officer to help target and co-ordinate the MODs conservation efforts. Since then, this post has evolved into a large team of dedicated MOD environmental specialists who advise on the sensitive management of the land used by MOD in the UK and overseas, and is supported by MOD conservation groups, which comprise MOD personnel, representatives from conservation organisations, and expert volunteers.
MOD policy
The importance of the estate for defence purposes cannot be compromised. With the introduction of more rigorous legislation and regulations affecting the day-to-day use and management of the MOD estate, it is essential that sustainable management of the natural environment be achieved. These arrangements must endure for the foreseeable future, since the requirement to support significant sea, land and air forces will remain; and little or no additional land capable of sustaining the use of advanced weaponry is likely to become available.
MOD policy is to ensure that natural environment issues are fully integrated with operational and training requirements and safety issues. MODs strategic objectives and targets for biodiversity are set out in the MOD Sustainable development action plan and the Biodiversity strategic statement for the MOD estate.
This integration is achieved through the use of Sustainability and Environmental Appraisal Tools (SEAT) and management planning systems for the estate. Details of MOD policy for nature conservation can be found in Joint Service Publication (JSP) 362.
Designated sites and protected species
The MOD owns some of the finest designated sites in the UK. MOD has management responsibility for approximately 170 sites that have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI). Over 130 of these sites also have international and European designations. MOD sites may also be important at the regional or local level, as Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) or Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). In addition, the UKs Biodiversity Action Plans highlight the habitats and species most under threat in the UK.
The DEFRA report Biodiversity 2020: A Strategy for Englands Wildlife and Ecosystem Services includes targets maintaining 95% of SSSIs in unfavourable recovering condition and 50% in favourable condition by 2020. MOD has management responsibility for over 170 SSSIs. Details of the current condition of the MODs SSSIs can be found in the MOD SSSI Improvement Programme fact sheet.
Examples of designated sites
The Castlemartin Tank Firing Range runs along the rocky coastline with sea cliffs of carboniferous limestone which are of national geological and biological interest. This site also qualifies as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for its chough population, a species of European importance, which depends on the diverse mix of habitats and the low intensity agricultural management.
Salisbury Plain Training Area is the largest Defence Training Estate in the UK. It has been used for military training since the early part of the 20th century, preventing conversion of its ancient chalk grassland to the arable farming prevalent elsewhere in England. The site is the best remaining example of lowland juniper scrub on chalk in the UK, and believed to be the largest surviving semi-natural dry grassland within the European Union.
It is for these reasons the area was selected as an Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). Amongst a variety of protected and nationally important species, the Plain supports the largest UK population of the nationally scarce burt-tip orchid, and significant populations of green-winged orchid and frog orchid. There is also a large population of marsh fritillary.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is an integral part of the governments sustainable development (SD) strategy. The MODs sustainable development commitments have been o