Climate Change: A Threat to Global Security and a Military Force Reluctant to Respond
Abstract
Climate change is a force multiplying influence that threatens safety, security, and stability. Though climate change is not a new phenomenon, its impacts are increasingly noticeable due to population growth, urbanization, and globalization. It is predicted that 21st century climate changes will cause sea-rise, reduced rainfall, and more frequent natural disasters, which could lead to violent interstate conflict, terrorism, and mass-migrations, and other conditions that threaten safety, security, and stability. As impending climate changes weigh on the future operating environment, military planners should consider the issues related environmental change as a complex obstacle to any future operation, as sea-rise, desertification, conflict, and mass-migration will alter the physical and human geography. In response to these threats, U.S. policymakers and defense leaders, should avoid debating the causes of climate change and give the same priority to climate-related crises as given to an adversarial threat. However, a divergence between national strategy and defense strategy has left military commanders reluctant to conduct operations in response to natural disasters and climate-related crises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1176602
Entities
People
- Rhett D. Salisbury
Organizations
- Marine Corps University