Climate Decade in Review - Post 17: National Security and the Threat of Climate Change

April 2007 - The Center for Naval Analysis released its report, National Security and the Threat of Climate Change.

The release of this report was widely reported in the media due to the prestigious nature of the contributors, a group of twelve, highly respected retired admirals and generals. Its key findings included:

• Projected climate change poses a serious threat to America’s national security.
• Climate change acts as a threat multiplier for instability in some of the most volatile regions of the world.
• Projected climate change will add to tensions even in stable regions of the world.
• Climate change, national security, and energy dependence are a related set of global challenges.

It's recommendations included:

• The national security consequences of climate change should be fully integrated into national security and national defense strategies.
• The U.S. should commit to a stronger national and international role to help stabilize climate change at levels that will avoid significant disruption to global security and stability.
  

among others.

There are literally thousands upon thousands of studies and reports about climate change available. In fact, one of the reasons the debate about climate change continues to rage is that any particular viewpoint can be supported in one way or another with information that can be found somewhere. This report stands out as being particularly credible, because

• the conclusions seem to run counter to what one would expect from military experts--who are not generally known for being cozy environmentalists;
• CNA is a highly respected organization with a stellar reputation to uphold and would therefore suffer should it publish dubious or incorrect research;
• Likewise for the contributors themselves, who do not have any particular apparent bias and are highly respected.

The report is also important from the standpoint that it emphasizes the wide ranging effects that global climate change will have on societies, geopolitics, and governmental stability.


=================
This is one in the series of "Climate Decade in Review" posts on this blog that began in January 2010. These posts present climate-change-related events that occurred during the 00's, the warmest decade in recorded history.