In the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2018, Congress also expressed its sense that “climate change is a direct threat to the national security of the United States.” Homeland Security Moves to Tackle Climate Change Risks. These risks have a severe impact on the military’s ability to keep Americans safe. The Arctic's ongoing changes in climate pose both challenges and opportunities. If we continue on our current trajectory, the United States will see worse disasters, droughts, storms and economic impacts, risking the lives of everyday Americans and our troops. Climate change is particularly insidious because it often acts as a threat multiplier, interacting with other factors like disease, food security, water security and poverty. VIDEO. Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security [Miller, Todd, Pabon, Tim] on Amazon.com. Climate change is not a distant problem for future generations to worry about. In 2013, outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano warned that her successor would need to be prepared for more severe weather-related events as a result of climate change.17 This view was reaffirmed in a 2015 hearing for the House Committee on Homeland Security in which three senior DHS representatives, including Climate Change will not falter, will not discriminate and will only get worse if we don’t collectively make a radical change in course on how we live and consume mother Earth’s resources. Our commander-in-chief should do everything they can to protect our men and women in uniform, rather than censoring the Pentagon’s own analysis of climate threats. National security leaders view climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’ that makes the homeland vulnerable, Wed 16 Sep 2020 09.15 EDT A unique perspective on immigration and the sobering reality that while some in DC claim it a farce, the military recognizes climate change as a real and present danger on the border and beyond. Testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security on September 19, 2019. Testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security on September 19, 2019. Climate and Security Resources: Homeland Security This page includes a list of resources on the nexus of climate change and security by the U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security and associated entities. Urban landscapes and human-made aerosols—particles suspended in the atmosphere—have the potential to not only make gusts stronger and hail larger; they can also start storms sooner and even pull them toward cities, according to new research exploring the impact of urban development on hazardous weather, led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific … “Very rarely is a climate issue the sole driver behind a security threat,” she offered. Protecting the infrastructure of American cities from the effects of climate change is rising on the agenda of the U.S. To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security to research and evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches to mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify areas for further research within the Department, research and develop approaches … Our government should be helping Americans stay safe in their communities, rather than ignoring their pleas when climate disasters strike. Climate change poses a considerable threat to global food security, with potentially existential economic, political, and social outcomes for humanity. 4737, the Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act, which would direct DHS to assess and potentially expand upon existing federal research projects that examine ways to mitigate the effects of climate change on homeland security programs. “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. The Quadren - nial Homeland Security Review Report (2010) (QHSR) states: “Climate change is expected to increase the severity and frequency of weather- related hazards, which could, in turn, result in social and political destabilization, international conflict, or mass migrations.” The new position was announced Monday as Biden unveiled his top diplomatic and homeland security appointments, signaling that he views climate change as a threat to the country’s security … The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, is leading efforts to build resilience to the risks of climate change in the United States. Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security (City Lights Open Media) - Kindle edition by Miller, Todd. Climate impacts make the homeland more vulnerable, while also threatening American interests abroad. In 2001, the Federal Emergency Management … While the events of 2020 have shocked the general public, homeland security experts ‘imagined’ these threats including a global pandemic, mass civil … Climate change is definitely affecting all of those aspects.” Sikorsky advised the intelligence community to consider the interdependence of the world when conducting analysis about climate change. 2014: Heyman and Durkovich, U.S. Department of Homeland Security: “Statement for the Record, Extreme Weather Events: The Costs of Not Being Prepared, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, United States Senate.”, 2013: FEMA, Toward More Resilient Futures: Putting Foresight Into Practice, 2012: Department of Homeland Security: “Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap.”, 2012: FEMA, Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of Uncertainty, Progress Report Highlighting the 2010-2011 Insights of the Strategic Foresight Initiative. The subtitle of the book explains it all: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security. DOD's six … Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security (City Lights Open Media). This means prioritizing climate change as a top foreign policy and national security priority in all of our country’s global relationships. To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security to research and evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches to mitigate climate change on homeland security to identify areas for further research within the Department, research and develop approaches … H.R. Last modified on Wed 16 Sep 2020 13.44 EDT. Feb 10, 2020. But Donald Trump has done just the opposite in his term as president. He’s ignored warnings from senior military and intelligence leaders, called climate change a “hoax”, abandoned global efforts such as the Paris climate agreement, and doubled down on policies that help fossil fuel polluters. This crisis might be the most high-stakes of them all, with the risk to American homes and safety increasing with each year of inaction. All rights reserved. Just last week, he looted the Fema budget needed to rebuild the homes of victims of Hurricane Laura, to the tune of $44bn. This spring, we published a report looking at the impact that continued global warming would have on US national security over the next few decades. If the world stands any chance of minimizing the dangers of the climate crisis before it’s too late, we need an America who will lead the way. The security state built after 9/11 already defines how the U.S. responds to climate emergencies. Climate Change as a National Security Concern. Other Governments, Regional and Int’l Institutions, Community Resilience Indicator Analysis: County-Level Analysis of Commonly Used Indicators From Peer-Reviewed Research, Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector-Specific Plan, Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), Heyman and Durkovich, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Toward More Resilient Futures: Putting Foresight Into Practice, Crisis Response and Disaster Resilience 2030: Forging Strategic Action in an Age of Uncertainty, Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review labeled climate change as a "threat multiplier," meaning the stressors already present around the world ("poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions") will likely be amplified and worsened by the introduction of climate impacts. Christian Parenti, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, author of Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence "Todd Miller reports from the cracks in the walls of the global climate security state—militarized zones designed to keep powerful elites safe from poor and uprooted peoples. 4737 (116th). Exploring The Security Risks of Climate Change, Climate and Security Resources: Homeland Security. H.R. Sherri Goodman is the former US deputy undersecretary of defense for environmental security, Kate Guy is a US doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford, researching climate change and national security, Available for everyone, funded by readers. 1. A new report titled Climate Change & Health: Assessing State Preparedness has just been released by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health along with Trust for America’s Health.In the report, all 50 states and Washington D.C. were studied to evaluate how vulnerable they are to climate change. Feb 10, 2020. The Arctic's ongoing changes in climate pose both challenges and opportunities. And the so-called leader of the free world should be solving global problems, rather than abandoning them. Security Threat Assessment of Climate Change As national security, military and intelligence professionals with decades of experience, we have dedicated our careers to anticipating, analyzing and addressing security threats to the United States, with the goal of protecting all citizens from harm. Climate change is definitely affecting all of those aspects.” Sikorsky advised the intelligence community to consider the interdependence of the world when conducting analysis about climate change. 2010: Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Report: “A Strategic Framework for a Secure Homeland.”. © 2021 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Climate change and its associated impacts affect economic prosperity, public health and safety, and international stability. 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