Montréal Climate Security Summit 2024

About the Montreal Climate Security Summit

The NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) and the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute are excited to announce the 3rd Montreal Climate Security Summit, which will take place on October 29th-30th, 2024 in Montreal, Canada.

The Montreal Climate Security Summit is an annual international meeting at the intersection of climate change and security, which brings together participants from across the NATO Alliance and beyond. This year, we are expecting an audience of 200 guests which will include high-level civilian and military practitioners, policy makers, decision makers, and seasoned researchers hailing from NATO member countries, multilateral and regional organizations, industry, think tanks, and civil society. The event will feature speakers from Canada, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Finland, Italy, Kuwait, the Netherlands, India, as well as NATO HQ, the European Union and the United Nations.

The first two editions of the Montreal Summit were led by the CDA Institute. With the establishment of the CCASCOE in Montreal in 2023, the two organizations are joining forces to build on previous efforts and generate a landmark venue to discuss climate security between NATO Allies and beyond.

This year’s in-person edition of the Montreal Summit will be by-invitation only.

Key Themes

Discussions at the Summit will be action-oriented and explore the following central themes:

Current and future climate security threats and the role of NATO
Resilience of military infrastructure
Risk-mitigation strategies
Greening defense and military readiness

Regional and Indigenous outlooks
Arctic security
Strategic foresight
Human security
Data-sharing

About the Organizers

The 3^rd edition of the Montreal Climate Security Summit is co-hosted by the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) and the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute.

The Conference of Defence Associations is a leading defence and security think tank founded in 1932, which brings together 45 member associations representing over 400,000 active and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadians with a close connection to national defence and security. In 1987, the CDA founded a separate Institute as a charitable organization with the mission to advance informed debate on national security issues.

Through its Climate and Security Programme, the CDA Institute has been at the forefront in Canada among defence and security think tanks to raise awareness on and study the issues surrounding climate and security. The objective of the CDA Institute’s Climate and Security Programme is to advance informed debate and dialogue on the multiple ways in which climate and environmental change interact with Canadian national security issues, particularly as it relates to national defence and foreign policy. Through activities promoting expertise, research and analysis on the climate and security nexus and its implications for Canada, the Institute contributes to informing Canada’s climate security priorities and Canada’s role in global climate security efforts; strengthens the Canadian community of practitioners, scholars and policymakers on climate and security; and contributes to the development of tangible solutions to current and emerging security and defence challenges relating to climate change.

The opening of the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE) in October 2023 and its accreditation to NATO in May 2024 are a milestone for NATO to address the security implications of climate change. The CCASCOE was established to support the efforts of NATO Allies and partners to adapt to the implications of climate change on their security and mitigate their own impact on climate change, while strengthening operational effectiveness. Canada, the framework nation, was joined in this effort by CCASCOE’s sponsoring nations: Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Norway, Romania, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

The CCASCOE works with governmental and non-governmental organizations, think tanks, academia and industry to stimulate innovative solutions, encourage closer collaboration among NATO Allies and partners and across different types of organizations, gather and streamline knowledge and expertise in one dedicated hub, and increase the awareness of decision-makers and the broader public on the pressing need of taking concrete actions to preserve Allied security. CCASCOE’s efforts support the implementation of the NATO Climate Change and Security Action Plan and contribute to NATO’s overall military readiness, deterrence and defence posture.

What to Expect

The Montreal Summit is a senior-level forum designed to allow attendees to expand their knowledge base of climate security trends, policies, and initiatives across and beyond the NATO Alliance, and to receive the most timely analysis from senior experts and decision makers to develop innovative policy, research, and business development strategies.

Participants are encouraged to bring their expertise and experience to bear on the conversation. The event is designed to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and facilitate the ideation of solutions. It is an opportunity to engage with our speakers and ask questions that break out traditional disciplinary and policy silos.

Interested in sponsoring the summit? Gain access to the event and visibility benefits for your company today. Contact Jennifer Giguere (jennifer@cdainstitute.ca) for more details on becoming a sponsor of the Montreal Summit.

Registration Process

The Montreal Climate Security Summit is by-invitation only. This year, the event will have a limited number of complimentary seats reserved for students and members of the general public who are passionate about the intersection of climate change and security.

If you are interested in attending as a guest, please submit your registration statement of interest form.