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Climate Change And National Security

Decent Essays

Topic: Climate Change and National Security
For centuries the United States Military has addressed the many challenges of national security, from fighting for the foundation of America in the Revolutionary war, to the containment of terrorism and Islamic extremism in recent years, but now global climate change presents a new and very different type of challenge to national security. The stability of the world’s climate that has enabled human civilizations to grow and flourish over the last five thousand years is changing, causing environmental conditions deteriorate and cause worldwide instability that threatens national security. The sobering truth is that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are greater now than at any time in the past 650,000 years , and as the average global temperature is continuing to rise, necessary resources for sustaining global stability, such as food and clean water, are becoming scarce and or unavailable. While uncertainty may exist regarding the science and future extent of projected climate changes, the trends are clear. Climate change is happening, weather patterns are intensifying, essential provisions are decreasing, and instability is spreading. Climate change has already begun to put stress on the security and stability of society, but the worst effects on both the developed and developing world have yet to be felt. The United States must prepare for the future effects of climate change on political, economic, and social stability if

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