According to Jamie Shea, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, NATO looks at environmental change very carefully because of its increasing impact on security. The International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report is clear that, according to Shea, “within 10 to 20 years, we are going to see important impacts in many areas, which will have an effect on security. For instance, changes in rainfall with increasi...

It’s common knowledge the Department of Defense (DoD) has considered the science of climate change, and it has accepted the conclusion that it’s real (reference the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Reviewi). Climate change and energy efficiency are now standing military planning considerations as both will impact the 21st Century strategic landscape and operational environment to such a degree that to not address them would be a gross derelic...

Climate change is likely to have the greatest impact on security through its indirect effects on conflict and vulnerability. Many developing countries are unable to provide basic services and improvements, much less cope with repeated, sudden onset shocks and accumulating, slow onset stresses. These effects span the spectrum from the basic necessities of livelihood to social conflict, including protests, strikes, riots, inter-communal violence and conflict between nati...