According to Admiral Samuel Locklear, Commander of the Pacific Theater, significant upheaval caused by the warming planet “is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen . . . that will cripple the security environment…”.
The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review speaks directly to the impact of climate change on national security:
Climate change poses another significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. These changes, coupled with other global dynamics, including growing, urbanizing, more affluent populations, and substantial economic growth in India, China, Brazil, and other nations, will devastate homes, land, and infrastructure. Climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs. The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence. (Hagel, Chapter 1, Pg 8)
FLVCS agrees with the Department of Defense that climate change constitutes a serious national security threat. In that regard, our environmental working group has compiled a report that supports the DoD’s conclusions about the threat of climate change but our report doesn’t end there. It sets out specific ways in which you can take action to mitigate the threat. It is a must read for FLVCS members and supporters.
The FLVCS Envirnomental Working Group’s Climate Change Report can be found at: Final Climate Change Report