Global Climate Change : A New And Very Different Type Of Challenge

This paper recognizes that climate change, which can be defined as the gradual increase in temperature caused by the increased production of carbon dioxide, presents a fundamental national security challenge.

National security, in the 21st century, has shifted from the focus on traditional threats (armed forces) (Siddiqi, 2013) to the integration of new threats and challenges, which have global consequences as the world evolves. Climate change has been increasingly identified as a serious contemporary security threat (McDonald, 2013), nationally and globally, instead of an environmental concern (Dupont & Pearman, 2008). This challenge presents a long-term global threat, with substantial human, national and transnational security repercussions (Wuebbles, Chitkara & Matheny, 2014). Furthermore, Wuebbles et al. (2014) acknowledge climate change as a threat multiplier, seen to exacerbate stresses (i.e. conflict, instability and poverty), enhancing the global importance of the issue as recognised as a critical national security risk. In perceiving climate change as a threat multiplier, this essay will recognise how the issues cumulative progression and consequences interacts with existing security issues, directly and indirectly challenging national security (Brown, Hammill & McLeman, 2007). Secondly, the long-term risk of climate change will be discussed, analysing the importance of implementing adaptation strategies for risk protection and vulnerability reduction. Finally, being a transnational security threat, global cooperation will be addressed, stressing the importance of internationalism and collaboration to protect against this evolving threat to national and

Global climate change is more than just raising the concentration of GHG’s in the atmosphere, it’s a serious health threat. Dr. Howard Koh, of the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, has stated that global warming is a threat to human health because of an increase in respiratory and allergy aggravation,

Climate change and its link to increased terrorist activity will directly and indirectly affect the United States in the next ten years, while also laying the foundation for climate change to become one of the most pressing security challenges that the United States will face in the coming years.

Parenti lists the issues that are yet to come with increasing climate change such as food and water shortage, but his suggested method of preparation is improving the United States’ military. He says, “Military planning, conceived of as a response to events, also shapes them” (13). He goes on to list places in which the United States currently has power. Of course military planning is essential in order to stay safe in times of turmoil, but there is no logic in expanding military power when facing a calamity of this caliber. Realistically, when the sea level rises to cover all land, what is an army going to do against tsunamis and food shortage? Instead of focusing on military power, attention should be spent elsewhere such as floating homes or mechanisms to save resources. Ultimately, despite being very knowledgeable on the topic of climate change, Parenti is not devoting his attention to the correct

According to Admiral Locklear, global climate change in the Pacific Ocean is a much more daunting threat to the U.S. military based in the Pacific, rather than other military threats. Locklear states that climate change will, “cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about.” The Admiral also mentions how the Pacific Ocean and the long-term threats to the peace of East Asia, is found at the center of the Obama administration’s defense strategy, and that protecting these regions from climate change threats should be the top priority. Locklear’s forces again and again have to respond to the disastrous weather occurrences that are growing more constant as the Earth’s climate continues to change.

A major effect of climate change will be the increase of insecurity around the world threatening peace in the US. A major concern has come from multiple reports created by the pentagon worried about the resulting scarcity and degradation of resources

Information from the Canadian Government website explains some factual information about what climate change is and how it is affecting Canada. From the website, it highlights some key information and basically explains what climate change is. It explains the causes and impacts of climate change and possible solutions to help the environment.

All over the world mankind commonly references mother Earth as important and fragile and even locally there are second graders at Cornerstone elementary singing Native American songs describing how “the Earth is our mother, we must take care of her.” The rising issue of global warming, scientifically known as climate change, is slowly becoming a worldwide epidemic that only 53% of Americans are even worried about, according to a 2014 survey by the IPCC. The definition of climate change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels. The first studies of climate change and human carbon dioxide emissions started in 1896 by a man named Arrhenius. The interest was renewed during the cold war era when several satellites were launched and more data taking resources were available. 1970 was host to the first Earth day and since then global warming has gained more and more awareness and understanding. The cause of the average global temperature is due to the greenhouse effect, in which the suns heat and energy heats the Earth’s surface then gets absorbed by greenhouse gasses and re-emitted in all directions warming the surface and the atmosphere. With more than 1300 scientists on the IPCC team

More than half of the United States military bases are threatened by global warming. The DoD states that “Changes in climate can potentially shape the environment in which we operate and the missions we are required to do.” (US Military on the Front Lines of Rising Seas (2016))

“Climate change is an urgent and growing threat to our national security, contributing to increased natural disasters, refugee flows, and conflicts over basic resources like food and water.” These words from the U.S. National Security Strategy show the United States is moving forward on addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The Department of Defense published the 2014 Climate Change Adaption roadmap establishing three overarching goals and four lines of effort to guide geographic combatant commands, military agencies, and departments in their efforts to identify and meet the challenges of climate change. Of all the challenges, one needs more emphasis today since it could have far reaching impacts on U.S. National Security Interests: the ever-growing scarcity of water resources.

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

Take a deep breath and imagine it is Sunday morning. The birds are chirping, the air is crisp with freshness, and the sun is radiating at a perfect temperature of 62 degrees. The coast is a 6-minute drive away, and this is the perfect day to take a short journey to the rocky shore and splash in the water. However, there is one problem, an action such as driving to the beach front will almost certainly contribute to the destructive effects of climate change. Due to this claim, is it then morally obligatory to not go on this Sunday morning drive in an effort to prevent greenhouse gas emissions?

The purpose of this paper is to contemplate the use of information and all the knowledge gained from this class in regards to my work on climate change effects on water resources. Specifically, my purpose is to search for knowledge and data from paleoclimatic evidence that will allow us to make better future climate projections for the model that uses the effects of climate to water resources. To put this into perspective, when we look at the data set from 1900 to present and attempt

“Look at climate change; don’t put your head in the sand. Understand that it is going to have profound effects on our resources” - Hillary Clinton