A Strategy to Counter Environmental Security Challenges in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Climate change is a significant security threat for the United States, both home and abroad. In Southeast Asia, climate change has become an existential threat that if left unchecked without scientific and technological intervention will result in debilitating economic and human suffering for a region of nearly of a billion people. As the DoD engages with its Southeast Asian allies and partners to enhance defenses against traditional threats, it has an opportunity to strengthen partner capacity to better respond to climate crises, implement effective climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives, and develop resilient infrastructure while offering an alternative to regional reliance on China. The DoD should focus its efforts on developing a climate literate force better able to engage with regional allies and partners. Additionally, the DoD should proactively assess and expand partner agreements in Southeast Asia to better facilitate sharing of knowledge, technology, and best practices to build partner capacity and improve cooperation and interoperability while promoting an autonomous Southeast Asia.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 2023
Accession Number
AD1206101

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey Dulgarian

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Asia
  • Best Practices
  • Climate Change
  • Climate Change Adaptation
  • Cooperation
  • Infrastructure
  • Interoperability
  • Intervention
  • Security
  • Southeast Asia
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Economics