For whom the bell tolls…

It’s become something of a cliché to say that the 2020s are starting to feel like the 1930s – with international crises building upon international crises and reliable allies proving to be anything but.

There is, however, one big difference to the decade which saw a tsunami of extremist threats. Our predecessors back then weren’t also facing climate disaster.

Wise people have spilled much ink on climate in recent years, while boneheads have sought comforting fantasies. What’s new is the growing realisation among leaders on this side of the Atlantic that Russia’s hybrid warfare and serious military threats against our continent aren’t just the political adolescence of post-communist Russia; Putin and his regime mean business.

On Monday, chief of the defence staff, ACM Sir Richard Knighton, used the annual RUSI lecture to point out the international situation is more dangerous than at any time in his career. But, he said, our response must go beyond stronger armed forces and needs “a whole of nation response”.

This includes building defence industrial capacity and skills and harnessing the institutions we will need in wartime. But crucially, he said, we need a response that “ensures and increases the resilience of society and the infrastructure that supports it”.

Although he discussed what the forces need, his focus went beyond them – including industry, education, R&D and infrastructure. He pointed a need for more resilience in things like electricity and flood defence; many components of the system are fragile, with key components dating from the 19^th century.

One area Sir Richard didn’t mention, however, was the UK’s poor food and water security, under further threat from unsustainable Government policy like the continuing attack on planning and environmental regulation.

The need for resilience in these areas was, however, addressed by another senior military figure, retired Lt-General Richard Nugee at last month’s National Emergency Briefing. He warned that multiple crises – including food and weather – are hitting at the same time, eroding trust in government.

“The encouraging part is that what we need to do on climate also makes Britain more resilient and safer,” he said. His whole speech is worth a watch.

I know many environmentalists will baulk at taking advice from military figures. They shouldn’t; there are serious threats out there and, just as with climate change, there are plenty of hidden persuaders trying to deter us from action.

It’s time to face them all down.

Jon Reeds