Ministry Of Defence
I was grateful to speak at last years virtual Connect event but lets face it standing alone in the MODs media suite cant quite match the buzzing atmosphere of the first air show for four years.
Having launched Defences sustainability strategy in March last year, I was delighted to see that sustainability is a core theme of this show and, have a chance to share our vision.
The first and most important preoccupation with defence is as ever, the safety and security of the United Kingdom, our people and overseas territories, our allies and friends. As the Integrated Review made plain we are living in a more dangerous and competitive world. And climate change and its implications are one of the greatest threats we all face.
Extreme weather and damaged environments are affecting global peace and security. Whether its the desertification of eastern Africa, triggering conflict over water, food and scarce resources or mass migration or whether its the melting ice in the High North opening up new sea routes, creating a flashpoint as nations vie for control.
And now Russias appalling and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has reminded us of the strategic vulnerability that comes with a dependence on fossil fuels. And indeed, the wider impact on supply chains and food.
As many of you in this room know, by 2050 Its estimated that climate change will push 720 million people into poverty. More than 216 million could be forced to migrate within their own countries. The number of people who lack sufficient water will rise by a billion and we will need to produce almost 50% more food to meet global demand, despite Chatham House predicting a 30% drop in yields.
What will that mean for defence?
We are already in the midst of transforming our forces thanks to a 24 billion pound increase in defence budget last year, allowing us to invest in modern cutting-edge capabilities from drones to Dreadnought submarines. But our young recruits understand perhaps better than anyone that defence of the realm means protecting us from all threats and they recognise the seriousness of the impact on our country and our allies of climate change.
It is intrinsically linked to everything we do.
And we know we wont succeed unless we ensure our personnel can compete in climate changed world. That means not just adapting our capabilities and platforms for the changing physical environment but making sure that the infrastructure and supply chains which underpin them are equally resilient.
We also know future operations in more unforgiving and hostile environments will demand smarter approaches, innovative designs and new skills.
So how are we going to succeed?
Our approach is threefold.
First, we need to integrate sustainability into our decision-making at all levels, from the factory to the frontline.
Sustainability cant be an afterthought; it needs to be embedded right from the start. It needs to be mainstream.
Thats why it was great to see more than 30 International Air Chiefs signing a declaration of intent on climate change collaboration at last weeks Global Air Chiefs conference. At the heart of that agreement is an understanding that adapting our people, aircraft, equipment, critical resources and supply chains will take decades. So we need to start by putting the in the hard yards now.
I similarly welcome the Aerospace Growth Partnerships new Net Zero Transition Plan which focuses on the development of sustainable technologies and its also great to see sustainability forming such a key part of the conversations here in Farnborough.
In the MOD, weve set up a new climate change directorate to spearhead this drive and it has already begun to lay the firm foundations for our ongoing response.
Were developing a Sustainable Support Strategy focused on operational self-sustainment, resilience of the supply chain and reducing the lifetime impact of defence commodities.
We are working on an Operational Energy and Fuel strategy setting out how we power our ships, aircraft and vehicles in the future.
And weve also updated our Built Estate policy to ensure new builds have a higher standard of energy efficiency.
Lastly, in our procurement processes we already think about the environment, but we now also have social value measures and most of the companies here today have published your own approaches to sustainability.
Make no mistake, helping the UK reach its legally binding 2050 net zero target will be one the biggest challenges we face.
But we believe with great challenges come great opportunities. And the opportunity Im referring to in particular is the chance to spearhead that sustainability revolution.
This is our second key objective.
By embracing the principles of a circular economy and becoming more self-sufficient, we can deliver major operational advantages. Some of you may have experienced personally who have served, the logistical hell of transporting fuel in Afghanistan and Iraq and the staggering cost per gallon. Not only financially but more importantly in terms of casualties sustained.
By exploring technology such as solar and, as they evolve, electric vehicles, we may be able to reduce the risks associated with logistics.
And there are myriad great examples of where were already adopting this approach across the domains.
On the ground, were testing hybrid electric drives in battlefield vehicles, which reduce noise and increase stealth.
Weve opened a solar farm at Leconfield which can cut CO2 emissions by 700 tonnes and save the Army more than 250,000 in energy costs a year with plans to do the same at 80 more sites.
And we have Project Kelpie - a thermal battery storage pilot at Duke of Gloucester Barracks in South Cerney.
At sea, were exploring the use of hybrid powertrain technologies that could power Royal Navy vessels and reduce carbon emissions.
Were also fitting Selective Catalytic Reduction units to ships which reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by up to 97%.
And I was in Portsmouth last month to open the Navys first net zero building, which will help service and kit out our carriers prior to deployment.
Lastly, never one to be outdone by the other services, the Royal Air Force trailblazers are leading the way in embedding sustainable behaviour in mission planning and in-flight fuel management.
Theyre fully behind the governments wider JetZero strategy, which is aiming to ensure all domestic flights and airports in England achieve net zero by 2040.
Theyre also expanding the living lab concept exemplified at RAF Leeming to test and prioritise de-carbonisation and wider sustainability interventions.
And lets not forget, our Future Combat Air System is providing brilliant opportunities to innovate low-carbon technologies and pioneer climate mitigation methods.
But perhaps their most impressive work can be found here on a stand between halls 1 and 2.
The Ikarus C42 microlight may not look like much compared to some of the other awesome aircraft on display today.
But it is a record-breaker with the potential to transform the entire air power industry.
Thats because last November at Cotswold Airport, that plane completed the worlds first flight using synthetic fuel.
The team have been widely recognised and that is well deserved. That fuel which is manufactured by extracting hydrogen from water and carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide is NetZero were made using renewable energy and entirely eliminated reliance on fossil fuels.
So I am delighted to today announce the next phase of plans to fast-track the use of synthetic fuels in RAF aircraft.
This exciting new phase will involve research into scaling up the technology and producing more fuel for certification and testing.
It may take some time to come to market, but the point is that were seeing firms responding to and accelerating sector decarbonisation in a way we would never have thought possible 12 months ago.
And thats not all.
I can also today announce the next phase of Project PICASSO, our breakthrough waste fuels recycling programme.
Just as Picasso was rather good at breaking down the core components of his artistic subjects, this project is about breaking down and recycling the core components of our waste aviation fuel.
And this month we are set to sign a new contract with Northern Engineering Solutions to further research and develop the bioprocessing procedure.
The aim is to install a test rig at RAF Brize Norton which, if successful, can then be copied at other major air bases at home and overseas.
So, were making great progress but to truly succeed in seizing the opportunities we need to go further still.
We need to change our culture. How? By being a fast follower, yes, but also by adopting our own risk-taking mindset.
Taking risks and being forward-leaning on this critical agenda will bring dividends for defence.
That is why our third and final objective is to work with partners in industry, academia and overseas to find the best sustainability solutions possible and to inspire others.
Its why were here today, surrounded by all this fascinating, cutting-edge kit.
Its also why we ensured collaboration was at the heart of our Defence and Security Industrial Strategy (DSIS), published last year.
DSIS essentially provides a framework for greater partnerships with industry, helping firms understand Defences needs at a much earlier stage while supporting them to sell their innovative products abroad.
As part of our DSIS commitments, wev