Indian Defence Forces to Combat Climate Change: Green Defence

Lt Col Chetan V Dhawad

The book traverses several tracks to include the climate change trajectory, which is adversely impacting every nation, its fundamental economic framework and even strategic alliances. It expatiates about geographical and social impact; and strategic and security implications being shaped increasingly by climate change crises across the world. The astonishing facts, figures, and comprehensive overview researched in the book is strong language itself which rattles the conscience of the reader to probe about India, which remains one of the most threatened countries by the ramifications of climate change. The journey of India from ‘Being a silent spectator to leading climate power’ while balancing energy security and developmental concerns is an interesting landscape to travel. The book further delves into uncharted territory full of intersections of arrays of military emissions, climate security, global and national security. The overview of the powerful militaries of leading economies which are vehemently contributing towards their national goal by reducing emissions without compromising on operational capabilities opens a new domain of thought. Every sketch in the book facilitates quicker assimilation of thoughts and prepares a reader for a plunge from despair to hope and brings to its central theme which is to draw up a broad vision and action plan for the 1.5 million strong forces which have a unique potential for immense contribution & blazing the trail for other organisations in India and militaries in Asia to emulate upon. The unparalleled green potential of our forces of spearheading organisational and individual decarbonisation revolution with quantification of emission reductions, while maintaining balance as a warrior and climate warrior is particularly highlighted as a key objective.

Lt Col Chetan V Dhawad

Lieutenant Colonel Chetan Dhawad, SM is a serving Indian Army Officer with 20+ years of service in the Corps of Engineers. He is the recipient of a gallantry award, ‘Sena Medal’, for leading numerous successful counter-terrorist operations. He has a wide exposure to serving along the Line of Control, Line of Actual Control and counter-insurgency operations in High Altitude Terrain. He is a Master of Technology (M. Tech) in Environment Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee with a stint at Dresden University, Germany. The officer is on the verge of completing his degree for the Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in climate change and sustainability. He was a founding member of the 425 (I) field company, served as a staff officer with the Indian Navy in Director General of Naval Project, Mumbai and is presently posted with the 175 Engineer Regiment (TA). The book is written with the sole aim of involving every individual of the armed forces community in combating climate change.

Contents

Foreword: Lt Gen VMB Krishnan

Foreword: Dr R A Mashelkar, Padma Vibhushan, (Retd)

Acknowledgements

Prelude

Introductory Essay: Lt Gen R R Nimbhorkar (Retd)

PART-I

1. Climate Change in Decisive Phase
(a) Changing Pattern of Extremes—A New Normal

2. Maximum Impact on India—Abnormality becoming Normal
(a) Kashmir: A Paradise in Distress—A Case Study

3. World and Climate Crisis
(a) Imminent Future in Case of Business as Usual
(b) World in Transition Phase
(c) Quest of World for Climate Solution

4. India’s Aspirational Journey as Climate Power

5. Role of Reserve Bank of India as Catalyst in March Towards Green Economy

PART-II

6. Defence Forces: Assuming Role as ‘Climate Warriors’
(a) Effect of Climate Change on Military Campaigns
(b) Military Emission Gap
(c) Fossil Fuel War: Mutually Detrimental
(d) Military Decarbonisation—A Growing Constriction
(e) Estimation—We do not manage, What we do not measure
(f) Carbon Footprint Disclosure by Militaries—Climate Lens
(g) Emission Evaluation

PART-III

7. De-jargoning the ‘Climate Change’ and ‘Carbon Budget’

PART-IV

8. Indian Defence Forces and Climate Performance as Strategic Objective
(a) Nudging Behavioural Change-Indian Defence Forces are Ace
(b) Transforming Military Residential Areas into Net Zero
Locality: A Case Study for Replicating Across India
(c) Aerial Cable Way: Too Much to Gain with Little Expenses
(d) Transforming Military Transport to Green Transport without Compromising Operational Capability
(e) For Forces, Sustainability is About Saving Lives
(f) Military Supply Chain Emissions—Reducing Mighty Emissions
(g) Liquidating Millions of Emissions Reduced, into Credits Rupees) after Independent Validation
(h) Climate literacy-Avoiding Getting Surprised

PART V

On Front Burner-Bulletins
References