Washington, DC (Climate & Security): In the wake of last week’s election, the Center for Climate and Security i:s delivering a Briefing Book for a New Administration to the President-elect.
The book of recommendations was developed by the Climate and Security Advisory Group (CSAG), a voluntary, non-partisan group of 43 U.S.-based senior military, national security, homeland security, and intelligence experts, including the former Commanders of U.S. Pacific and Central Command, and former Special Assistant to President Reagan for National Security Affairs.
Climate change presents risks that must be managed, no matter one’s political perspective.
Risk to U.S. National Security
As recently noted in a consensus statement from key members of the national security community, “the effects of climate change present a strategically-significant risk to U.S. national security” and require a “comprehensive policy” in response.
In that context, the Briefing Book includes recommendations for the President-elect to advance his commitment to building a robust U.S. national infrastructure through increasing the climate resilience of our communities and military installations, comprehensively addressing the security risks of climate change at all levels of national security planning, and seizing the technological, economic, diplomatic, development and defense opportunities that follow.
This includes supporting and building on the progress already made on climate change and national security by both the Barack Obama and George W. Bush Administrations, including actions by the White House, the Intelligence Community, and departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security, and Energy.
Recommendations
The CSAG’s recommendations include, among many others:
- Continuing to enhance the climate resilience of military infrastructure
- Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy
- Continuing to include climate change in intelligence assessments
- Maintaining senior climate security leadership within the offices of the National Security Advisor and Secretary of Defense
Click here for the Briefing Book, and a full list of signatories.
