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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Economist or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: A new NATO study reveals that climate change could make it more difficult to detect submarines, as warmer oceans alter how sound travels underwater
• Submarine engines, once trackable by sonar over long distances, may become harder to detect due to changes in ocean temperature and salinity
🔭 The context: Submarine detection relies heavily on acoustic signals, which are affected by the temperature, pressure, and salinity of seawater
• As climate change warms the oceans and disrupts their structure, these changes interfere with sonar performance—a key tool in naval surveillance and warfare
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The military implications of climate change highlight the complex and far-reaching impacts of global warming
• As oceans become more stratified and unpredictable, nations may need to adapt defence strategies and technologies, reinforcing the global security risks of climate inaction
⏭️ What's next: Defence agencies, particularly in NATO countries, may need to invest in new sonar systems and research to counteract the changing underwater acoustic environment
• This could reshape naval operations, especially in the Arctic and Pacific, where climate effects are most pronounced
💬 One quote: “The Pentagon ‘does not do climate-change crap’… But a new NATO study illustrates how closely the two are linked.” – The Economist, paraphrasing U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth
📈 One stat: Ocean temperatures have increased by over 0.88°C (1.6°F) since the pre-industrial era, significantly altering underwater sound propagation and impacting naval sonar effectiveness
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