Climate Security Taxonomy

compass icon

Developed as part of CCASCOE’s fellowship programme, this human-in-the-loop taxonomy mirrors the structural architecture of well-established frameworks—such as those used in cybersecurity—to introduce a standardized classification system for the climate change and security domain, providing the community of interest with a common reference framework that ensures consistent data retrieval, unlocks AI-enabled knowledge management, and directly advances CCASCOE’s mandate to disseminate authoritative domain expertise.

This release marks Version 1.0 of the taxonomy. Designed as an evergreen framework, it will continuously evolve through ongoing validation and feedback from the broader community of interest to ensure it remains responsive to emerging climate-security dynamics.

Credit: This taxonomy was authored and designed by Dr. François Rhéaume of Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC). Project supervision was provided by Dr. Hengameh Irandoust (DRDC/CCASCOE).

Framework Overview

Assessment

ASM

  • Climate Intelligence
  • Risk Analysis
  • Strategic Foresight
  • Early Warning
  • Operational Environment Analysis
  • Information Environment Analysis

Adaptation

ADP

  • Infrastructure Resilience
  • Logistics Resilience
  • Capability and Materiel Readiness
  • Personnel Preparedness
  • Doctrine and Procedures Adaptation
  • Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

Mitigation

MIT

  • Energy Efficiency
  • Alternative Energy
  • Emissions Management
  • Sustainable Materiel
  • Environmental Stewardship
  • Green Defence Research and Development

Governance

GOV

  • Policy and Strategy
  • Institutional Organisation
  • Education and Exercises
  • Performance Management
  • Cooperation and Partnerships
  • Standardization and Interoperability
  • Strategic Communication

Explore the Taxonomy

Select a pillar below to view its categories, concepts, and definitions.

Assessment

ASM.CI.1 Environmental Monitoring Maintaining observation systems to acquire, integrate, and track climate-related datasets against security-relevant indicators and thresholds.
ASM.CI.2 Intelligence Fusion Synthesizing environmental data with operational intelligence to produce climate-informed threat assessments using structured analytic techniques.
ASM.CI.3 Geospatial Analysis Applying Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing to map climate-driven changes in terrain, hydrology, and land use for deployment and vulnerability planning.
ASM.CI.4 Environmental Forecasting Providing short-term atmospheric and environmental predictions to support tactical and operational planning across all domains.
ASM.CI.5 Adversary Climate Posture Assessing how climate change affects adversary capabilities, vulnerabilities, resource access, and potential exploitation of climate-driven instability.
Evaluating the likelihood and impact of climate hazards on military capabilities, assets, and operations to prioritize response measures.
ASM.RA.1 Threat Identification Cataloguing climate-driven physical hazards that pose risks to NATO forces and infrastructure, mapped to geographic areas of interest.
ASM.RA.2 Vulnerability Assessment Determining the susceptibility of installations, supply chains, personnel, and equipment to identified climate hazards using standardized matrices.
ASM.RA.3 Impact Estimation Quantifying operational, financial, and strategic consequences of climate scenarios on Alliance capabilities through scenario-based modelling.
ASM.RA.4 Risk Prioritization Ranking climate-security risks by severity, probability, and strategic significance using NATO Risk Management Framework criteria.
ASM.RA.5 Systemic Risk Analysis Evaluating climate events that may trigger sequential or compounding disruptions across interconnected military and civilian systems.

Employing long-range analytical methods to anticipate emerging climate-security dynamics and their implications for Allied defence posture.

ASM.SF.1 Scenario Development Constructing plausible future climate trajectories and security implications using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change pathways as inputs to capability planning and wargaming.
ASM.SF.2 Horizon Scanning Monitoring long-term environmental, demographic, and geopolitical trends driven by climate change over 10- to 30-year planning horizons.
ASM.SF.3 Human Security Forecasting Modelling climate-driven population movements, societal resilience, and human security indicators to support crisis anticipation and response pre-positioning.

Developing systems that detect and communicate imminent climate-related threats to enable timely protective and preparedness actions.

ASM.EW.1 Warning Systems Designing and sustaining systems that process and disseminate climate warnings, including alert thresholds, escalation procedures, and interoperability standards.
ASM.EW.2 Instability Tracking Monitoring socio-economic, environmental, and political indicators that signal climate-driven destabilization in regions of Alliance interest.
ASM.EW.3 Predictive Analytics Applying computational modelling and machine learning to forecast climate-driven events and their security consequences with increased lead time.

Describing and analysing the physical environment of current and projected areas of operations to account for climate-altered conditions.

ASM.OE.1 Environmental Baseline Establishing comprehensive environmental profiles for theatres of operation incorporating climate normals, seasonal variability, and projected changes as reference conditions for planning.
ASM.OE.2 Extreme Event Analysis Analysing the frequency, intensity, and distribution of extreme weather and climate events within operational areas to inform operational planning, risk assessment, mission readiness, resilience measures, sustainment planning, and force protection.
ASM.OE.3 Domain Characterization Characterizing climate-driven changes across all operational domains, including atmospheric, maritime, littoral, polar, arid, and terrestrial environments, to inform force deployment and sustainment planning.
Monitoring and analyzing climate-related disinformation, hostile narratives, and cognitive effects that impact security perceptions and decision-making.
ASM.IE.1 Disinformation Monitoring Tracking false and misleading climate security narratives, including coordinated campaigns to undermine climate action or exploit grievances.
ASM.IE.2 Hostile Narrative Analysis Analysing adversary use of climate issues in information warfare to influence opinion, destabilize alliances, or justify aggression.
ASM.IE.3 Sentiment Analysis Gauging population attitudes towards climate security measures and defence environmental initiatives to support decision-making and strategic communications.
ASM.IE.4 Information Effects Assessment Assessing the effects of climate-security messaging, information activities, and narratives on public perceptions, societal resilience, decision-making, and Alliance credibility.

Modifying the design, construction, maintenance, and disposition of military installations to withstand projected climate impacts.

ADP.IR.1 Infrastructure Engineering Designing, hardening, retrofitting, and constructing military facilities to withstand projected climate impacts through climate-informed siting and engineering measures.
ADP.IR.2 Critical Infrastructure Safeguarding defence-critical utilities against climate-induced disruption through redundancy planning, backup systems, and dependency mapping.
ADP.IR.3 Asset Lifecycle Adapting maintenance, refurbishment, retirement, and strategic repositioning of infrastructure assets in response to climate-driven degradation.
ADP.IR.4 Transport and Communication Networks Adapting transport and communication networks, including roads, ports, airfields, rail, and communications infrastructure, to withstand climate-induced disruption, degradation, and environmental hazards.
Modifying force structures, capability requirements, and physical materiel to maintain operational effectiveness and equipment reliability under altered climatic conditions.
ADP.CM.1 Equipment Adaptation Revising equipment performance requirements and qualification standards to reflect projected climate conditions across platforms and systems.
ADP.CM.2 Force Structure Adjusting force composition, distribution, and readiness posture to address shifting operational demands driven by climate change.
ADP.CM.3 Capability Gap Analysis Identifying capability shortfalls arising from climate-altered conditions by comparing projected environmental demands against existing force capabilities.
ADP.CM.4 Materiel Testing Developing environmental testing protocols that simulate projected climate conditions to validate equipment performance and reliability.
ADP.CM.5 Legacy System Retrofitting Modifying, upgrading, and retrofitting existing platforms and equipment to ensure continued operational efficacy and safety under emerging climatic extremes.
Adapting military logistics and supply chain operations to maintain continuity under climate-disrupted conditions.
ADP.LR.1 Supply Chain Resilience Identifying and mitigating climate-related supply chain vulnerabilities including single points of failure, route disruptions, and supplier dependencies.
ADP.LR.2 Mobility Adaptation Adapting military mobility, logistics routing, and transport modalities to account for climate-driven changes in passability, infrastructure access, seasonal availability, and environmental disruption.
ADP.LR.3 Storage Resilience Adapting materiel storage and pre-positioning to protect stocks from climate-related degradation through hardening and dispersal strategies.
ADP.LR.4 Sustainment Planning Incorporating climate variability and extreme event contingencies into sustainment planning, lifecycle support, maintenance, consumption forecasting, and resupply operations to maintain operational availability and continuity under climate-disrupted conditions.
ADP.LR.5 Resource Security Securing critical operational supplies, including water, fuel, food, medical resources and other essential sustainment materials, against climate-driven scarcity, disruption, and environmental degradation.
Adjusting training, personnel management, and health protection to prepare forces for operations in climate-altered environments.
ADP.PP.1 Training Development Designing and delivering training curricula, simulations, and exercises that replicate projected climate-altered conditions across all operational environments.
ADP.PP.2 Environmental Stress Management Establishing medical protocols, work-rest cycles, and protective measures to manage physiological effects of climate-driven environmental extremes on personnel.
ADP.PP.3 Health Monitoring Tracking climate-related health outcomes among personnel to identify emerging risks and validate protective measures through epidemiological surveillance.

Revising military doctrine, Standard Operating Procedures, and planning frameworks to systematically account for climate change impacts on operations.

ADP.DP.1 Doctrine Revision Reviewing and updating doctrine, Standard Operating Procedures, and tactical guidance to incorporate climate considerations across operational concepts and thresholds.
ADP.DP.2 Planning Integration Embedding climate adaptation into operations planning processes including climate annexes, environmental checklists, and decision-support templates.
ADP.DP.3 Lessons Integration Capturing and disseminating lessons from climate security operations, exercises, and programmes through structured after-action processes to inform doctrine and capability development.
ADP.DP.4 Continuity of Operations (COOP) Developing and exercising recovery protocols and fallback procedures to rapidly restore military command, control, and operational capacity following severe climate-induced disruptions.

Enhancing Allied capacity to respond to climate-driven natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.

ADP.HD.1 Disaster Response Building military capabilities for deployment in response to climate-driven disasters, including specialist units and rapid deployment procedures.
ADP.HD.2 Humanitarian Planning Developing contingency plans for military support to humanitarian operations in regions affected by climate-driven displacement, food insecurity, and health crises.
ADP.HD.3 Human Security Integration Integrating human security and population vulnerability considerations into climate-related humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and operational support activities to address disproportionate impacts on affected communities.
Improving energy efficiency of military operations, platforms, and installations to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
MIT.EE.1 Operational Efficiency Reducing energy consumption during operations through optimised logistics, tactical energy management, and fuel-efficient procedures.
MIT.EE.2 Platform Optimisation Enhancing energy efficiency of military platforms through engineering modifications, propulsion improvements, and operational parameter optimisation.
MIT.EE.3 Facility Upgrade Implementing energy management systems, building efficiency upgrades, and consumption monitoring across military installations.
MIT.EE.4 Energy Accounting Assessing energy consumption and emissions performance across defence activities using standardized metrics for benchmarking and progress tracking.
MIT.EE.5 Digital Carbon Footprint Reducing energy consumption of data centres, networks, and digital services through efficient computing and sustainable Information Technology management.
Deploying renewable and alternative fuel technologies to reduce defence-sector reliance on fossil fuels.
MIT.AE.1 Renewable Generation Installing and operating solar, wind, geothermal, and other renewable systems at installations and forward locations in grid and off-grid configurations.
MIT.AE.2 Alternative Fuels Researching, testing, and fielding synthetic fuels, biofuels, hydrogen, and electrification solutions for military platforms and installations.
MIT.AE.3 Energy Storage Deploying batteries, fuel cells, and thermal storage to integrate intermittent renewables into military energy systems and microgrids.
MIT.AE.4 Deployable Energy Fielding portable renewable and hybrid power systems for forward-deployed units to reduce fuel logistics burden in austere environments.
MIT.AE.5 Advanced Propulsion Adopting hydrogen fuel cells, electric drives, and hybrid propulsion for military platforms to extend range and reduce emissions.
Measuring, reporting, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from military activities aligned with national and Alliance-level targets.
MIT.EM.1 Greenhouse Gas Accounting Applying standardized methodologies for measuring and reporting defence greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes using compatible frameworks.
MIT.EM.2 Reduction Targets Establishing time-bound greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with nationally determined contributions, including interim milestones and accountability mechanisms.
MIT.EM.3 Carbon Sequestration Implementing carbon offset programmes and sequestration initiatives on defence lands including reforestation, ecosystem restoration, and carbon capture.
MIT.EM.4 Non-Carbon Dioxide Emissions Addressing military-specific non-carbon dioxide emissions including fluorinated gases, nitrous oxide from propellants, and methane from waste management.
Applying circular economy and sustainability principles to the acquisition, use, and disposal of military materiel.
MIT.SM.1 Sustainable Procurement Integrating environmental and operational energy criteria into defence capability design, procurement, contract requirements, and supplier evaluation, including lifecycle carbon assessment and alternative energy considerations.
MIT.SM.2 Circular Economy Implementing reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling within military materiel management to reduce waste and raw material consumption.
MIT.SM.3 Hazardous Materials Management Identifying and substituting hazardous substances in military equipment and maintenance to reduce contamination risks and ensure regulatory compliance.
MIT.SM.4 Waste Management Establishing waste reduction, segregation, treatment, and disposal systems for military operations including field waste and wastewater management.
MIT.SM.5 Lifecycle Assessment Evaluating total greenhouse gas emissions of defence systems from raw material extraction through disposal to identify carbon hotspots.
Managing the environmental impact of military activities on ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources on defence-managed lands and waters.
MIT.ES.1 Biodiversity Management Protecting biodiversity and habitats on military training areas and installations through conservation plans, habitat restoration, and ecological land management.
MIT.ES.2 Water Management Managing water consumption, treatment, and discharge at installations and during operations to minimize environmental impact and ensure sustainability.
MIT.ES.3 Impact Assessment Assessing environmental consequences of military activities and construction to ensure legislative compliance and integration of mitigation measures.
MIT.ES.4 Land Remediation Remediating contaminated sites and restoring degraded training areas through soil decontamination, ordnance management, and ecological restoration.
Researching, developing, and transitioning environmentally beneficial technologies into military application to accelerate defence decarbonization.
MIT.GD.1 Clean Technology Research Conducting Research and Development on low-carbon technologies with defence applications including energy, propulsion, materials, carbon capture, and geoengineering.
MIT.GD.2 Technology Transition Maturing and integrating green technologies into operational service through prototyping, testing, certification, and implementation roadmaps.
MIT.GD.3 Innovation Partnerships Collaborating with industry, academia, and partners to accelerate development and adoption of defence-relevant green technologies.

Developing and maintaining policies, strategies, and directives that guide Alliance-wide climate security activities.

GOV.PS.1 Policy Development Formulating Alliance-level and national policies that establish climate security objectives, principles, and responsibilities.
GOV.PS.2 Strategy Review Developing and reviewing climate security strategies that translate policy into actionable plans with objectives, timelines, and resource requirements.
GOV.PS.3 Legal Compliance Ensuring defence climate activities comply with international environmental law, Alliance agreements, and national regulatory requirements.
GOV.PS.4 Mission Assurance Policy Establishing policies and decision authorities that prioritize mission success and operational effectiveness while managing trade-offs associated with climate mitigation and sustainability objectives.
Establishing organizational structures, roles, and processes to manage climate security within NATO and Allied nations.
GOV.IO.1 Governance Structure Defining governance bodies, coordination mechanisms, reporting relationships, and accountability frameworks for climate-security activities.
GOV.IO.2 Resource Allocation Implementing financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation processes including funding streams and expenditure tracking for climate programmes.
GOV.IO.3 Knowledge Repositories Maintaining centralized knowledge bases and reference libraries to preserve institutional climate security knowledge across organizational transitions.
Integrating climate scenarios into military exercises and professional education to build climate security competencies across all levels.
GOV.EE.1 Climate Exercises Conducting tabletop and field exercises incorporating climate disruptions to test decision-making and logistics resilience under stressed conditions.
GOV.EE.2 Leadership Education Equipping senior leaders with climate security knowledge covering geopolitical, logistical, and tactical risks for strategic decision-making.
GOV.EE.3 Technical Training Building specialized skills in climate analysis, renewable energy, sustainability practices, and environmental risk management.
Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the effectiveness and progress of climate security measures across the Alliance.
GOV.PM.1 Monitoring and Reporting Defining metrics and Key Performance Indicators, and implementing processes for collecting, analysing, and reporting climate security programme performance data.
GOV.PM.2 Programme Evaluation Conducting structured evaluations of climate security programmes to assess effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance against defined metrics.
Managing the Alliance’s climate security engagement with partner nations, international organizations, and multilateral forums.
GOV.CP.1 Agreements Negotiating and implementing climate security agreements with partner nations including cooperation, capacity-building, technology and information sharing, joint research, exercises, and reciprocal support.
GOV.CP.2 Multilateral Engagement Coordinating with international organizations and representing Alliance positions in multilateral forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and regional bodies.
GOV.CP.3 Civil-Military Cooperation Engaging Non-Governmental Organizations, academia, industry, and communities on climate resilience to leverage non-military expertise for defence benefit.
GOV.CP.4 Communities of Practice Facilitating expert networks and peer exchanges among climate security practitioners for cross-functional knowledge sharing and problem-solving.
Establishing common NATO standards and ensuring interoperability for climate security initiatives across the Alliance.
GOV.SI.1 Standard Harmonization Defining common methodologies and metrics for reporting military emissions, climate risk, and environmental performance across the Alliance.
GOV.SI.2 Technology Interoperability Ensuring renewable energy, alternative fuels, and efficiency technologies are compatible across allied forces for multinational operations.
GOV.SI.3 Data Standards Defining standards for climate security data exchange including governance, classification, and technical interoperability requirements.

Planning, producing, and delivering climate security messaging to internal and external audiences across Alliance channels.

GOV.SC.1 Reporting and Publishing Producing and disseminating climate security reports, briefs, factsheets, and analytical products for military, governmental, and public audiences.
GOV.SC.2 Events and Outreach Organizing conferences, workshops, and stakeholder forums to communicate priorities and foster collaboration with external partners.
GOV.SC.3 Counter-Narrative Communication Developing and deploying proactive strategic communications to counter climate-related disinformation, mitigate cognitive warfare effects, and reinforce Alliance credibility.
Scroll to Top