Dr. Emily Pesicka
Climate change is transforming global security landscapes with significant implications for national defense. Rising sea levels endanger coastal military bases, and extreme weather events disrupt operations, making climate change a powerful “threat multiplier” that intensifies existing challenges and creates new ones. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized this pressing reality, integrating climate considerations into strategic operations, infrastructure resilience, energy modernization, and long-term defense planning. The DoD defines climate change as “Variations in average weather conditions that persist over multiple decades or longer that encompass increases and decreases in temperature, shifts in precipitation, and changing risk of certain types of severe weather events (DODD 4715.21)”. Yet, as climate-driven disruptions become more severe, assessing whether the DoD’s current approach is robust enough to confront these escalating threats is critical. Balancing immediate operational needs with sustainable, climate-resilient strategies is a significant challenge amidst monetary constraints. Although the DoD has focused on strategic operations, infrastructure, and long-term planning, there is a clear need to enhance climate education for warfighters.
No comments:
Post a Comment