The Government's Secret Research into Climate Change as a Security Risk

[WilliamPitt]

Plenty of people still doubt that climate change is a real thing, or that it was engineered by humans and accelerating. But national security hawks agree with the scientific consensus that climate change is a real and growing problem. And they've done tons of research predicting the wars and disasters it could cause.

It shouldn't be too surprising that the United States military and intelligence community thinks of climate change as a national security threat. The 2014 Director of National Intelligence's "Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community" global threats included "Natural Resources" – divided up into the subcategories of Food, Water, Energy, Extreme Weather Events, and The Arctic. 2013's report was even more concerned openly about climate-based threats, using the term "climate change" more often, and giving the topic its own subheading.

One of the earliest available government reports on climate change as a national security threat is a 2003 report by the Pentagon Office of Net Assessments, which looked at an "abrupt climate change scenario." This, the Pentagon warned, could "de-stabilize the geo-political environment, leading to skirmishes, battles, and even war."

The United States Joint Forces Command, which devoted a section to climate change in its 2007 report on trends and challenges they'd be facing through 2030. In this report, one concern was that climate change would exacerbate political instability and "foster the conditions for internal conflicts, extremism, and movement toward increased authoritarianism and radical ideologies." Specifically, the report mentioned that climate change was a unique problem...

The rest: http://io9.com/the-governments-secret-research-into-climate-change-as-1512229200

[grasswire]

1. whaddya think them FEMA camps are for?

Seriously, I have assumed that the feds have gamed the scenario, and gamed it well. And the militarization of local law enforcement is, I'm sure, part of the prep.

[upaloopa]

2. If climate change is a security threat then the

climate change scientists are fighting for our freedom.

[Stargazer09]

3. Good

If the military sees this as being a threat, maybe it's possible that our government will take this seriously. Despite the stupidity of Congress.

[Johonny]

4. The military isn't stupid; Climate change is real and will cause real conflicts over resources

The first time I saw this was in 2010. If you looked at the areas the military was saying would come under increased risk to revolt, war, civil unrest and you look at where it is happening right now... they aren't stupid. If your job is to identify potential risks and combat zones of the future then only a fool would ignore the very real consequences of climate change. Congress is filled with fools, but those in the public sector are not. More to the point every politician that says don't worry can see this information and likely better classified information and analysis. Yet they still want to play pretend.

[joshcryer]

5. secret? the Navy has been openly stating it for years now

Climate change is the greatest threat to human civilization by far

[MisterP]

6. the LaRouchites are not gonna like this...

[Htom Sirveaux]

7. Shouldn't the generals be out there talking about this?

I know conservative double-think can easily handle praising and ignoring soldiers, but having a uniformed presence warning about climate change might change a few minds, and continue to marginalize the rest.

[flamingdem]

8. If Snowden had revealed this ten years ago

then maybe his snooping really would have helped us.