What is the relationship between climate science and resilience in the context of defence operations? In this first episode of The Resilience Brief (TRB) podcast, hosts Lt. Col. Ali Beard and Dr Sarah Ashbridge are joined by guests who can help us to bring together different strands of research to help us to navigate this very question.

To kick-start the series, the TRB hosts are joined by two speakers with the skills and experience to help us make sense of how the environment informs defence operations, what we can learn from our recent past, and the risks that might inform the future of warfighting.

General (Ret.) Tom Middendorp draws upon on 38 years of military experience, including his service as the Chief of Defence of the Armed Forces of the Netherlands, and shares insights from his current role as Chair of the International Military Council for Climate and Security (IMCCS).

Our hosts also receive challenge from Professor Justin Bronk, who works as the Senior Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Justin takes a classic think tank position by signposting towards existing areas of alignment and synergy with traditional warfighting focuses, whilst reminding us to take a cautious approach to emerging areas of research and technological development.

Join us for this exciting first episode which will set the scene for the remainder of the series.

Resources recommended by Episode 1 guest speakers

· Kim Stanley Robinson (2020). The Ministry for the Future. New York and London: Orbit.

· Brian Arthur (2009). The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves. New York: Free Press.

The views of all speakers represent their own opinions and individual experiences. All views presented within this podcast series belong to the individual speakers and do not reflect the official position of their employers or the IMCCS

This podcast has been created thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Frazer-Nash and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE).

For an armed force to be resilient, it must be able to meet its current and future needs, and to support the needs of the population(s) that it seeks to protect. The climate science community has a role to play in helping others to understand what the future world and the operating theatres within it might look like. But where should defence practitioners look to engage, and how much certainty is required to necessitate action now?

In this episode, hosts Dr Sarah Ashbridge and Lieutenant Colonel Alistair Beard are joined by Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw (Centre for Economic Security/SAID Business School, Oxford University) and Megan Pearce (Frazer-Nash) to explore the different tools and resources which can be utilised to both imagine the future world and navigate the potential risks that it could present to an armed force.

From datasets, to wargaming, to risk management, our speakers signpost to the methods and approaches which can offer the most practical insights and allow us to reduce our own resilience risks, or diversify the risks that we present to our adversaries.

This podcast has been created thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Frazer-Nash and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE).

NATO define interoperability as "The ability to act together coherently, effectively and efficiently to achieve Allied objectives". But what does it mean to achieve, or even contribute to, interoperability to achieve wider resilience?

The success of NATO operations often depends on the ability of forces to work together, often as part of a multinational alliance and routinely with civil-military partnerships, to achieve shared strategic goals. But what does it actually mean to be interoperable in the area of building environmental resilience? Where should armed forces lead, and where should they recognise the boundaries and limitations of military responsibility and seek to follow?

In this episode, guests Justin Mohn (NATO/King's College London) and Katie Woodward (NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence) join The Resilience Brief hosts, to share their perspectives on the topic of interoperability, reflecting upon the value of a connected networks, the importance of passive horizon scanning, and the balance between responsibilities for the military and the role of knowledge integrators.

Our guests also present their own pressing questions, such as 'when is the event circuit too much' and 'how do we know when we have achieved good enough with a capability?' Join Dr Sarah Ashbridge and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Beard for Episode 3 to find out more.

The views of all speakers represent their own opinions and individual experiences. All views presented within this podcast series belong to the individual speakers and do not reflect the official position of their employers or the IMCCS

This podcast has been created thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Frazer-Nash and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE).

Resources recommended by Episode 3 guest speakers:

- Robert Forczyk (2013). Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front, 1941-42: Schwerpunkt. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military.

- Robert Forczyk (2016). Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front, 1943-1945: Red Steamroller. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation.

- Ronald A. Kingham and Ashley McIlwain Moran (2025). Resilience, Readiness, and Response: Report of the project on Climate and Security Action through Civil-Military Cooperation in Climate-Related Emergencies (Project CASA). Brussels: The Environment and Development Resource Centre (EDRC).

Like land forces, navies are faced with the breadth and scale of climate related risks, so how is climate science informing conversations around maritime platforms and the future demands upon naval services?

Our sub-series on domain specific risks continues with episode 6, which focuses on the unique threats and challenges for naval operations. What are the unique threats presented by a changing maritime environment, and how do these changes affect platforms? How are different navies responding to the increasing number of requests for humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) services?

Special guests Lisa Hammock (Royal Navy) and Arnaud Boehmann (independent analyst) join hosts Dr Sarah Ashbridge and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Beard to discuss key challenges and the importance of narratives to support strategic direction in the naval sphere.

Our guests introduce us to projects from within NATO, such as the UK Royal Navy's work to explore the refuelling of a carrier strike group deployment, or the NATO Defence College Rome's modelling of future oceans; but also highlight lessons from allied partners such as Brazil and Indonesia. Intrigued? Tune in to find out more.

Clarification: In this discussion, "multi-role" refers to a medical ship's ability to provide a range of medical services. It should not be interpreted as "dual-use" in an operational and humanitarian sense. In an Article V scenario, medical ships cannot be simultaneously deployed for both operational and humanitarian missions.

The views of all speakers represent their own opinions based on their individual experiences. All views belong to the individual speakers and do not reflect the official position of their employers or the IMCCS

This podcast has been created thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Frazer-Nash and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE). This product has also been enabled by the production services of Two Jacks Communications and project management services of S A Consultancy (Yorkshire).

Resources recommended by Episode 6 guest speakers:

- German Advisory Council on Global Change (2007). 'Climate Change as a Security Risk.'

- Andrea Gilli and Mauro Gilli (2025). 'The hunt for Red October in warmer oceans – Climate change and anti-submarine warfare.' NATO Defense College [outlook article], 19 March. Available online: https://www.ndc.nato.int/the-hunt-for-red-october-in-warmer-oceans-climate-change-and-anti-submarine-warfare/

- David J. C. MacKay (2008). Sustainable Energy – Without the hot air. Cambridge: UIT.

- Stuart Goldsmith – Climate comedian: https://www.stuartgoldsmith.com/

- Laurie Laybourn. 'Overshoot: Navigating a world beyond 1.5°C' podcast: https://www.overshootpod.com/

Aviation fuel emissions have been an enduring issue for air forces in the fight for climate resilience. However, with developments in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) driven by mandates, what else is on the radar for air operations?

Continuing with our domain focused sub-series, episode 7 of The Resilience Brief podcast pivots to the air domain, to discuss the challenges and potential solution that are fuelling air force activity. NATO air forces are increasingly integrating Sustainable Aviation Fuel to propel their aircraft in the search for sustainability. But emissions alone should not dominate climate conversations within the air domain. Hosts Dr Sarah Ashbridge and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Beard invite two guests who can shed light on wider priorities, challenges and success stories.

Group Captain Maurice Dixon and Honorary Group Captain Kevin Billings dial in to tell us how specific environments affect air platforms and planning, sharing insights around the tyranny of distance, generating urgency, and human-off-the-loop potential. There are even important whole-force insights around how the SAF mandate is driving fuel interoperability within air forces specifically. Tune in to find out more.

The views of all speakers represent their own opinions based on their individual experiences. All views belong to the individual speakers and do not reflect the official position of their employers or the IMCCS

This podcast has been created thanks to the sponsorship and partnership of Frazer-Nash and the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE). This product has also been enabled by the production services of Two Jacks Communications and project management services of S A Consultancy (Yorkshire).

Resources recommended by Episode 8 guest speakers:

Ivo Andrić (1977). The Bridge Over the River Drina. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

Rear Admiral Neil Moraisetti.

Lieutenant General Richard Nugee CB CVO CBE whose work informed the development of UK MOD (2021). Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston KCB CBE ADC.

Global Air Force Climate Change Collaboration.

Erin Sikorsky (2025). Climate Change on the Battlefield: International Military Responses to the Climate Crisis. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Gwynne Dyer (2010). Climate Wars. Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

MOD UK (2018). Global Strategic Trends – The Future Starts Today.

Nik Gowing and Chris Langdon (2018). Thinking the Unthinkable: A new imperative for leadership in the digital age. Melton: John Catt Educational Ltd.