The Institute of Directors (IoD) Guernsey Branch held a thought-provoking session with public and private sector leaders exploring the impact of climate change on national security.
The event, sponsored by Skipton International, welcomed Lieutenant General Richard Nugee CB CVO CBE, former Chief of Defence People at the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and author of the MOD’s landmark report on climate and security. He now holds several senior roles in sustainability and defence resilience.
Lt. Gen. Nugee opened the session by asking whether the UK, and other jurisdictions similar to Guernsey, are fully prepared for the real security risks posed by climate change.
Drawing on his operational background and policy work, he outlined five key national security risks, including food supply fragility, energy dependence, water security, increased migration and health threats. All of which are exacerbated by climate volatility and underinsurance in global markets.
In the discussion, Lt. Gen. Nugee emphasised the need for organisations and governments to move beyond reactive ‘whack-a-mole’ risk management. He advocated for embedding a strategic sustainability lens to help drive innovation, improve long-term resilience and avoid unintended consequences.
His key message to local leaders was to treat resilience as a core strategic asset and not a compliance issue. He encouraged Guernsey businesses to interrogate their supply chains, rethink assumptions about risk and seek out innovation in materials, energy and infrastructure.
Lt. Gen. Nugee also offered practical recommendations for smaller jurisdictions like Guernsey, including:
Strengthening energy resilience through a mix of interconnection and local renewable generation
Rethinking infrastructure planning to account for climate-driven events
Building strategic reserves of key supplies to mitigate supply chain shocks
Promoting innovation in materials, food systems and energy efficiency
Viewing resilience as a strategic advantage, not just an operational concern
Alex Herschel, IoD committee member and Chartered Environmentalist, continued the conversations with Lt. Gen. Nugee during a fireside chat.
She said: ‘Richard’s messages challenged us to think differently about how climate risk connects to our economy, infrastructure and way of life. His insights were deeply relevant for Guernsey as we look to balance environmental challenges with energy resilience, infrastructure planning and long-term risk management. It was a powerful and practical discussion for all leaders in the room.’
Glen Tonks, Chair of IoD Guernsey, said:
‘Richard brought an important and often overlooked perspective to our leadership community. This session served as a timely reminder that resilience isn’t just about weathering shocks, it’s about designing systems, infrastructure and leadership that can adapt and thrive in an increasingly complex and fragile world.’
The event built on the IoD Guernsey’s work in 2025 to elevate long-term thinking and leadership resilience, including its Spring Seminar on economic reinvention, and the Annual Convention which examined corporate governance through the lens of recent UK scandals.
The IoD would like to thank His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir Richard Cripwell KCB CB and Stephanie Glover, Strategy and Sustainable Finance Director of Guernsey Finance, for helping to instigate the event.