© U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens

National Security and Climate Change

In April 2007, CNA completed a national security implications assessment of global climate change in order to “better inform U.S. policymakers and the public” about effects and potential threats. This non-profit research organization, which operates the Center for Naval Analyses and the Institute for Public Research, convened a Military Advisory Board (MAB) of 3-4 star retired generals and admirals, as well as national security experts, in order to accomplish this task. The MAB and study team received briefings from a wide array of intelligence, climate science and business experts, as well as United Kingdom state leaders. In addition, the well-respected MAB members presented their own views based upon years of hardcore, real world experience. The resultant Report is historic in that it succeeded in painting a bull’s eye on a subject of grave military concern that had heretofore not been adequately addressed by Congress or the then current administration. Although “National Security and the Threat to Climate Change” is 2-years old, the majority of the document remains current and valid as evidenced by MAB members continuing to brief U.S. and international leaders and organizations on its findings. Below are selected excerpts taken directly from the Report found at www.cna.org.

“During our decades of experience in the U.S. military, we have addressed many national security challenges from containment and deterrence of the Soviet nuclear threat during the Cold War to terrorism and extremism in recent years. . . . Global climate change presents a new and very different type of national security challenge. . . . Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are greater now than at any time in the past 650,000 years, and average global temperature has continued a steady rise. This rise presents the prospect of significant climate change and while uncertainty exists, and debate continues regarding the science and future extent of projected climate changes, the trends are clear.

“The nature and pace of climate changes being observed today and the consequences projected by the consensus scientific opinion are grave and pose equally grave implications for our national security. . . . The consequences of climate change can affect the organization, training, equipping and planning of the military services. . . . Climate change can act as a threat multiplier for instability in some of the most volatile regions of the world, and it presents significant national security challenges for the United States.”  Full Article