‘Rethinking Security in a Time of Climate Crisis : why militarism is not the answer’ is the subject of a talk in Tavistock on Tuesday July 9.

The speaker will be Joanne Baker of Rethinking Security (www.rethinkingsecurity.org.uk). This is a network of organisations, academics and activists, including Campaign Against Arms Trade, Oxford Research Group and ForcesWatch.

Although climate change is arguably the world’s most serious challenge, global military spending far exceeds money spent on trying to deal with this challenge. Wars and military systems produce huge carbon emissions.

A recent study shows that between 2001 and 2017 the Pentagon released 1.2-billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The UK has the sixth largest military budget in the world and is one of the biggest global arms exporters.

Rethinking Security does not agree with a militaristic approach and believes in the need for intensive international cooperation instead to tackle climate change, environmental breakdown and economic inequality, which are all causes of insecurity.

The talk is in the United Reformed Church, Russell Street at 7.30pm. It is organised by Tavistock Peace Action Group and Tavistock Progressive Christianity Network.