The NATO Science and Technology Organization’s (STO) Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), sponsored and supported by the NATO STO Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS), successfully hosted the first edition of the NATO Climate Change and Security course from 29 September to 3 October 2025 at its facilities in La Spezia, Italy.
The five-day course was co-developed and co-delivered by CMRE in close collaboration with the NATO International Staff, the NATO International Military Staff – Policy & Capabilities Division, and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE). The event marked a significant step forward in NATO’s efforts to enhance understanding and preparedness at the intersection of climate change and security.
A total of 33 mid-career government officials and military officers, representing 18 Allied and Partner nations, took part in the course. Several participants also represented organizations from the European Union and the United Nations. The course faculty comprised 17 international subject matter experts, both from NATO and from leading external institutions.
Structured around 12 lecture modules grouped into four core thematic areas, the curriculum provided a comprehensive exploration of the climate-security nexus:
- Scientific Aspects of Climate Change
- Security Impacts of Climate Change
- NATO Planning and Climate Change
- Military Impacts of Climate Change
In addition to the lectures, the course featured a deep dive session on climate data analysis for NATO applications, introducing participants to practical uses of quantitative climate data. Two interactive group exercises added depth to the learning experience. The Climate and Defence Fresco, adapted from an initiative by the French Ministry for the Armed Forces, provided a creative and collaborative way to explore climate science and its consequences for defence. A Table Top Exercise, developed by CMRE, ran throughout the final four days of the course. Participants were divided into regional teams — Arctic, NATO Eastern Flank, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — to explore the implications of climate change within their assigned contexts. Findings were presented on the final day of the course.
A highlight of the event was the visit by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC). Admiral Cavo Dragone addressed the participants, emphasizing the importance of preparing NATO forces for the security challenges posed by climate change and personally answered a series of insightful questions from the attendees. Read more on the CMC’s visit here: https://www.cmre.nato.int/admiral-cavo-dragone-visits-nato-cmre/
“From a military perspective, we need to better understand the short, medium and long-term implications of climate change on NATO mission accomplishment,” said Colonel Giancarlo Turco, Chairman of the NATO Military Working Group on Climate Change and Security.
“This course provided the platform to bridge the trifold gap among the scientific evidence, the military community and the political will.”
“NATO leadership will require that military and policy expertise be merged with state-of-the-art scientific climate data to ensure that our capabilities are adapted for the operating environment of tomorrow,” added Dr. George Nikolakakos, Scientist in CMRE’s Climate Change and Security Programme. “Events such as this course are crucial for bringing together professionals from across Allied and Partner organizations to build shared knowledge and collaborative solutions.”
CMRE is proud to support NATO’s forward-looking agenda by developing and delivering training that equips defence and security professionals with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships necessary to address one of the most complex challenges of our time.
