Report: climate change poses a threat to national security
The White House released reports on Thursday detailing the threats that climate change poses to national security.
The reports come from the departments of Homeland Security and Defense and the National Security Council.
According to the New York Times, there are three critical points within the documents.
Global tensions will rise as countries argue about how to accelerate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; climate change will exacerbate cross-border flash points and amplify strategic competition in the Arctic; and the effects of climate change will be felt most acutely in developing countries that are least equipped to adapt.
The report from the Pentagon examines how it would incorporate threats from climate change into its planning. According to the report, the military would spend a significant portion of its next budget on climate analysis.
“The Department intends to prioritize funding DOD Components in support of exercises, war games, analyses, and studies of climate change impacts on DOD missions, operations, and global stability,” the report read. “In coordination with allies and partners, DOD will work to prevent, mitigate, account for, and respond to defense and security risks associated with climate change.”
