"Climate Change Poses a Widening Threat to National Security"

"Intelligence and defense agencies issued reports warning that the warming planet will increase strife between countries and spur migration."

"WASHINGTON — Worsening conflict within and between nations. Increased dislocation and migration as people flee climate-fueled instability. Heightened military tension and uncertainty. Financial hazards.

The Biden administration released several reports Thursday about climate change and national security, laying out in stark terms the ways in which the warming world is beginning to significantly challenge stability worldwide.

The documents, issued by the departments of Homeland Security and Defense as well as the National Security Council and director of national intelligence, mark the first time that the nation’s security agencies collectively communicated the climate risks they face.

The reports include warnings from the intelligence community about how climate change can work on numerous levels to sap the strength of a nation. For example, countries like Iraq and Algeria could be hit by lost revenue from fossil fuels, even as their region faces worsening heat and drought. The Pentagon warned that food shortages could lead to unrest, along with fights between countries over water."

Christopher Flavelle, Julian E. Barnes, Eileen Sullivan, and Jennifer Steinhauer report for the New York Times October 21, 2021.

SEE ALSO:

"US: More Threats, More Desperate Refugees As Climate Warms" (AP)

"Climate Crisis Likely To Fuel Conflicts Over Water And Migration, Us Analyses Say" (Guardian)

"U.S. Must Act To Protect Climate Migrants, Government Report Says" (Los Angeles Times)

Source: NYTimes, 10/22/2021