Fellowships
Overview
The NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence Fellowship Programme supports forward-thinking practitioners, researchers, and military experts working at the intersection of climate change and security. The programme is designed to advance research, foster collaboration with the broader climate security community of interest, and generate practical insights on climate-related security challenges across the NATO community.
Fellows work independently while benefiting from structured guidance, access to CCASCOE’s network, and increased visibility. Selected projects may be featured during key CCASCOE activities, including digital publications, internal briefings, and events.
At A Glance
Duration
6 months
Format
Fully remote with virtual meetings, presentations, and workshops
Compensation
CAD $10,000
per fellowship
Deadline to Apply
May 31, 2026
11:59 p.m. EST
Eligibility and Requirements
Applicants from both civilian and military backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including experts from NATO Allied and partner countries, scientific and academic institutions, government agencies, and the wider policy community.
What We’re Looking For
- Clear relevance to climate change and security
- Alignment with CCASCOE’s mission and priority thematic areas
- Feasible and well-defined research methodology
- Strong potential to produce actionable insights for civilian and military audiences
- Climate security related contribution to emerging challenges for NATO, its strategic foresight capabilities and for strengthening the operational readiness of Allied armed forces
Proposal Requirements
Applicants must submit a detailed proposal, including:
- Project abstract (max. 200 words): project scope, methods, and expected outcomes
- Problem statement (max. 200 words): key challenge, gap, or emerging issue addressed
- Research question(s) / objectives (max. 200 words): main questions or goals guiding the project
- Expected outcomes & relevance to CCASCOE’s mission (max. 200 words)
- Research methodology (max. 250 words): analytical framework, methods, and tools
- Data sources & evidence base (max. 150 words): key sources, cases, or target groups
- Work plan (max. 200 words): project stages, tasks, and timeline
- Implementation feasibility (max. 200 words): achievability, access to data/target groups, resources
- Curriculum vitae: relevant experience and references, if available
2026 Priority Research Areas
Adaptation to Changing Climate Conditions for Military Equipment and Infrastructure
- Concrete recommendations/definitions of specific needs to integrate climate security considerations into defence procurement processes
- Scenario-based, geographical, and/or military domain-related groupings
Unmanned Systems/Drones and Climate Change
- Strategic utility of unmanned systems across operational domains, and their potential to enhance resilience, endurance, situational awareness, and risk reduction in climate-impacted environments
- Impact of climate change on the design, operational use, and deployment of unmanned systems
- Environmental impacts related to the life cycle (assembly, usage, disposal) of unmanned systems
- Mitigation of vulnerabilities to critical energy and climate adaptation infrastructure
Cognitive Warfare/Superiority: Dis- and Misinformation on Climate Change
- Analysis based on case studies and battlefield experiences
- Case studies on the deliberate poisoning of Western open–source AI models by injecting false data designed to corrupt future training cycles
The Human Dimension of Modern Warfare Impacted by Climate Change
- Impact of climate change on military medicine, including heat exhaustion, disease threats, operational readiness, and other psychological impacts
- Development of recommendations, training modifications, or increased cooperation between nations
Climate Security Dynamics in Specific Regional Areas
- The Arctic and High North
- The Southern Flank (Black Sea region and/or the Mediterranean)
- The Eastern Flank
