is climate change a matter of national security

Mr. Frank De Jong’s letter “Militarizing climate change” of Dec. 10 seems misguided on many fronts. But he still describes himself in published writings as “a simple mariner,” and he is a mariner with a message: Ice is rapidly melting at both polar caps. That means that addressing climate change is not simply a matter of deploying new energy sources or buying more efficient light bulbs. For example, changing patterns of glacier formation, precipitation, and snowmelt in the Himalayas will alter the river flows of the great East Asian rivers, upon which about 20% of humanity depends. President-elect Barack Obama said on Tuesday attacking global climate change is a "matter of urgency" that will create jobs as he got advice from Al Gore, who won a … Finally, in a development that threatens the very existence of a nation, Kiribati, the country’s Cabinet endorseda plan to buy nearly 6,000 acres of Fiji in order to move Kiribati’s population if a rising sea swallows their islands. In the same letter, the group of leaders also noted how disastrous weather events can cause significant harm to the nation’s security infrastructure. However, Americans and Europeans cannot afford to simply think that the dangers of climate change lie in the developing world. USA, The Need for Leadership to Combat Climate Change and Protect National Security, data from the National Interagency Fire Center. The report’s findings on the direct impacts of climate change on our national security is all about risks to the critical, hard infrastructure that helps sustain our national strength, and the military personnel who support it. The Defense Department, the Intelligence Community, and the Department of Homeland Security are closely studying the effects of climate change, particularly how it will impact our security. Retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis has spent nearly 11 years living day-to-day on deep ocean, in places where no land can be seen. We have enough knowledge to know that climate change is potentially dangerous. adshelp[at]cfa.harvard.edu The ADS is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory under NASA Cooperative Agreement NNX16AC86A “This diverts resources away from the armed forces that are needed to ensure security,” Stavridis says. I am not a scientist, so I will leave the rest of the explanation to NASA scientist Jim Hansen, who discussed the science of climate change in a recent TED speech. The climate is notoriously difficult to predict, and models are imperfect. ..Find out more, Posted by Andrew HollandNov 24, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Adam VanGorderJan 19, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Patrick HinesJan 13, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandJun 24, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectJan 02, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandDec 11, 2019 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectNov 04, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandJul 12, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandMay 23, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandApr 22, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandMar 05, 2019 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectFeb 21, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandDec 11, 2018 | Read More, Posted by Connor WagnerOct 15, 2018 | Read More, Posted by Katherine SeeversJan 19, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Rylee BoydJan 19, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Claire BrennerJan 19, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Rylee BoydJan 12, 2021 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectJan 07, 2021 | Read More, Posted by Annie AlemanDec 23, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectDec 22, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Alicia OrrDec 18, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Patrick HinesDec 18, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectOct 13, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Matthew WallinSep 29, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectSep 21, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectSep 01, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectAug 26, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectAug 19, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectJun 17, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectJun 03, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectApr 14, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectMar 19, 2020 | Read More, Posted by American Security ProjectDec 06, 2019 | Read More, Posted by John MadeiraSep 11, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Matthew WallinFeb 28, 2020 | Read More, Posted by Alexandra HackbarthSep 27, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandSep 17, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Matthew WallinFeb 28, 2019 | Read More, Posted by Andrew HollandDec 19, 2018 | Read More. “Around the world, climate change is a ‘threat multiplier,’ making other security threats worse,” the group said. The predicted effects of climate change over the coming decades include extreme weather events, drought, flooding, sea level rise, retreating glaciers, habitat shifts, and the increased spread of life-threatening diseases. This blog post, cross-posted from Energy, Security, Policy, explains why it is so important.. A changing climate is important enough that our national security planners are studying it closely. But – climate change is not a matter of ‘belief’ – it is a matter of fact. A terror attack, he explains, captures everyone’s attention and is a visible security threat. Military leaders will be faced with ever more tough decisions in terms of providing humanitarian assistance in the face of extreme weather events and disruptions to their own supply chains while coping with declining defense budgets in many parts of … Specifically, he says that the Pentagon’s Northern Command, which deals with non-military domestic emergencies, should receive more funding for planning and training related to environmental events. Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2882 Recognizing that the impact of climate change is … Dan Eggleston, president and board chairman of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, advocates that states and localities increase their disaster mitigation efforts now. over the next 20 years . And the potential consequences of this development go beyond environmental damage. A changing climate is important enough that our national security planners are studying it closely. "It dried up their crops, they had to move, and they had to make a living. Department of Homeland Security, Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap, June 2012 “We judge global climate change will have wide-ranging implications for US. It started because of a 10-year drought.” Goldfein told lawmakers at the hearing (“The Need for Leadership to Combat Climate Change and Protect National Security,” 9 April 2019). Others in the military and government are echoing Stavridis’ view in various ways. “And folks having to move from their family farms into cities where they then were not getting any support, and therefore a civil war began.”. Trump Drops Climate Threats from National Security Strategy. , they had to make a living storm in recorded history a pretty significant security. Group gave a few examples of threats include how rising sea water all coal plants today only... Security Management this blog post, cross-posted from Energy, security, change. 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