UK — The UK government faced questions during an Environmental Audit Committee hearing on Wednesday regarding its decision to block the publication of a national security report.

The report, compiled by the UK's Joint Intelligence Committee and other government departments, concluded that the collapse of overseas ecosystems poses consequences for the UK's national security. It projected potential food shortages in the UK within five years due to such collapses. The report also identified broader consequences, including price rises, migration, political destabilization, and armed conflict, reaching to the possibility of nuclear war. For example, the report indicated that the Amazon rainforest ecosystem's decline could transform it from a carbon absorber into a net carbon source.

Downing Street prevented the report's publication in October 2024, at which point it was scheduled for an event at the Natural History Museum attended by King Charles. Ministers from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero later attempted to release the report at the Cop30 summit in Brazil, but this release was also prevented. A redacted 14-page version of some findings was eventually published in January 2025, following freedom of information requests.

During the committee hearing, Mary Creagh, Minister for the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, stated that the redacted 14-page version should provide adequate information. Creagh also said that the government planned to allocate £6.7 billion to nature and climate initiatives. The Cabinet Office did not send a minister or official to the hearing.

Toby Perkins, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, expressed disappointment at not seeing the full report. "It's a disappointing signal, and it would be a positive sign if we could cooperate on a response to the findings." Perkins also stated, "The minister clearly does appreciate the scale of this crisis. But I remain of the view that the government has more to do to grasp the urgency of the moment."

Chris Hinchliff, Labour MP and a member of the committee, noted the contrast between defense spending and funding for ecosystem protection. He noted the planned addition of £15 billion to the defense budget. "The government can summon billions of pounds for new military hardware when the defence sector calls for it. We need an equally decisive mobilisation of investment to restore the natural world on which we rely for our food, water, and clean air. Without these essentials our country has no future." He added, "Every critical ecosystem across our planet is on a pathway to collapse with an irreversible loss of function, and this poses huge threats to our national security. This looming crisis demands urgent action."

Why It Matters

The report from the Joint Intelligence Committee outlines potential national security risks for the UK stemming from global ecosystem collapse, including impacts on food supply, geopolitical stability, and even the threat of armed conflict. The government's decision to prevent the full publication of this report on two separate occasions, and its refusal to send representatives to a parliamentary committee hearing on the matter, led to criticism from Members of Parliament regarding transparency and the adequacy of the government's response to these long-term threats to national security.