Faced with the need to adjust to an ever more troubled world, it has become increasingly clear that the Ministry of Defence needs to take into account global environmental protection measures and incorporate sustainable development considerations into all its assignments. As the owner of a considerable amount of state property where it trains its armed forces, called upon to carry out support and military assignments in foreign territories and to equip its armed forces, the Ministry of Defence with over 420,000 employees is an integral part of a society where expectations in terms of sustainable development have increased. In addition to which, its impact in terms of economic development in the areas where it is established and on the arms market make it a key player in the French economic stimulus plan.
The Ministry of Defence presented the 2008 report on sustainable development to the media on the 3rd of September 2009. This was a first for French administration and a sign of its commitment to sustainable development.
Faced with an ever changing world which has become increasingly unsettled and unpredictable, particularly under the pressure of globalisation, the Ministry of Defence needs to adapt by integrating sustainable development as a strategic factor into its assignments. This entails meeting four challenges: