The climate and environmental impacts of Canada’s NORAD modernization and NATO operations in the North

Petition: 509

Issue(s): Climate change; Environmental assessment; Human/environmental health; Indigenous matters; Toxic substances

Petitioner(s): A Canadian resident

Petitioner location(s): Waterloo, Ontario

Date received: 14 May 2024

Status: Completed—Response(s) to petition received

Summary: The petition is concerned with the climate and environmental effects of Canada’s defence operations in the North. The petition claims that Canada’s updated defence policy calls for modernizing the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and upgrading capabilities for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The petition claims that these would require new military bases in the northern territories, infrastructure such as roads and runways, and weapon systems, which are mostly fossil-fuel based. The petition requests environmental assessments conducted by National Defence on its current military operations in the North, on its updated defence policy, and on its planned NORAD modernization.

The petition claims that NORAD modernization and NATO commitments will result in more military operations and therefore higher risks of toxic spills and leaks into the environment. The petition inquires about the potential effects of military activities on marine life and species at risk in the North. The petition expresses concerns regarding the rapid warming of the Arctic, stating that National Defence is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the government and has one of the highest numbers of contaminated sites across Canada. The petition requests the annual carbon emissions from NORAD training and operations in the North and from fossil fuel–powered military aircraft that will be moving into the North and questions National Defence’s carbon offset plan. The petition also inquires about embedded carbon that will arise from constructing new military infrastructure and whether defence contractors are required to report to the government on embedded carbon from their weapon manufacturing. 

Citing the 2019 Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, the petition indicates that Indigenous people did not prioritize the militarization of their lands but prioritize instead the need for social services and cultural protections. The petition calls Canada’s militarization of the North carbon intensive and a threat to the climate, the natural environment, and the well-being of Indigenous people. The petition questions whether the militarization of the North for NORAD and NATO aligns with Canada’s commitment to the sustainable and healthy development of Indigenous communities.

Federal departments/organizations responsible for reply: National Defence