Senator Says Global Warming A Matter Of Security

Why does Senator Durbin and others believe there are ‘security risks posed by global climate change’?Senator Says Global Warming A Matter Of SecurityBy Cliff Montgomery – Apr. 30th, 2007On March 28, 2007, Senator Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bill into the Senate Congressional Record called the Global Climate Change Security Oversight Act, “a bill to address security risks posed by global climate change and for other purposes.”Much has been made over the last few weeks about the bill, but what exactly are the reasons for it? Below we quote from Sen. Durbin’s introduction:”[This] bill states that the consequences of global climate change represent a clear and present danger to the security of the United States.”For years, many of us have examined global warming as an environmental or economic issue. We also need to consider it as a security concern. Our bill begins this process by requiring a National Intelligence Estimate to assess the strategic challenges presented by the world’s changing climate.”The National Security Strategy of 2006 stated that the United States now faces new security challenges, including ‘environmental destruction, whether caused by human behavior or cataclysmic mega-disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or tsunamis.”‘Problems of this scope may overwhelm the capacity of local authorities to respond, and may even overtax national militaries, requiring a larger international response. These challenges are not traditional national security concerns, such as the conflict of arms or ideologies.”‘But if left unaddressed they can threaten national security.””Global climate change represents one of the new environmental challenges outlined in the National Security Strategy that poses a threat to our national security. Failing to recognize and plan for the geopolitical challenges of global warming would represent a serious mistake.”A National Intelligence Estimate is a comprehensive review of a potential security threat that combines, correlates and evaluates intelligence from all of the relevant U.S. intelligence agencies.”Various intelligence agencies–the CIA, NSA, the Pentagon, FBI, etc. must pool data, share perspectives and work together to assemble an accurate picture of threats to U.S. security.”Without an NIE, the various agencies may never have an opportunity to examine each other’s data, and any differences or similarities between the reports could provide important information for policymakers.”In this legislation, we ask for the intelligence community to provide a strategic estimate of the risks posed by global climate change for countries or regions that are of particular economic or military significance to the United States or that are at serious risk of humanitarian suffering. This NIE will assess the political, social, agricultural, and economic challenges for countries and their likely impact.”Every region will be affected differently by global warming and it is critical that our intelligence and military communities are prepared to handle the situations most likely to arise.”For example, rising sea levels will have a profound impact on low lying coastal areas, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. This region is home to 58 percent of the world’s population and 57 percent of the world’s poorest population. More than 5 million people live in major cities that are in low lying coastal areas.”People in the Asia-Pacific region already endure coastal natural disasters, such as tsunamis, and inland flooding. Between 2001 and 2005, 62,273 people were killed annually by water related disasters in this region. This number is only going to increase as the world warms.”Africa is a place where changes in precipitation patterns will be particularly devastating. Many areas are already under enormous stress from drought and hunger. In 2005, 30 million people in 34 countries confronted food shortages as a result of drought. It is estimated that the droughts will become more severe and impact more people if the temperature continues to rise.”Environmental changes caused by global warming represent a potential threat multiplier for instability around the world. Scarce water, for example, may exacerbate conflict along economic, ethnic, or sectarian divisions.”Water shortages, food insecurity, or flooding all of which may occur as a result of rising global temperatures could also displace people, forcing them to migrate. Many of the most severe effects of global warming are expected in regions where fragile governments are least capable of responding to them.”This NIE…will also do something that we don’t do often enough here in Congress: it will look beyond the near horizon of the next election or the next few years and require the intelligence community to think about these issues in the context of the next 30 years.”The bill we introduced today will also fund additional research by the Department of Defense in order to examine the impact of climate change on military operations.”Rising temperatures are altering the international environment. We need to be prepared for this new world.”We hope that our colleagues will join us in this bipartisan effort to assess the strategic implications of climate change. The scientific community has demonstrated that the earth is growing warmer. We are asking the intelligence community to analyze the geopolitical implications of these changes.”