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Notable Climate and Security Publications of 2012

Caitlin Werrell and Francesco Femia

The year 2012 was the warmest year on record for the United States. It was also a year of extraordinary natural disasters in both the U.S., and abroad. Hurricane Sandy, for example, was the eleventh billion-dollar weather-related disaster for the U.S. in 2012, accompanied by unprecedented heat waves, droughts and tornadoes.  Tropical storms and flooding in East Asia, unexpected heavy rains and flooding in Somalia, Nigeria, and the Republic of Congo, 19 straight months of punishing drought in northern Brazil, are just a few examples of a very volatile year in terms of extreme weather events globally. The security implications of these, and other similar events, will certainly be a subject of study in the years to come, as will be their connections to climate change.

But despite this dire picture, there was much attention given to the security risks of climate change by governments and non-governmental organizations in 2012. Below is a list of some notable resources published last year. While 2013 is likely to bring more record temperatures and more billion-dollar disasters, let’s hope some of the recommendations outlined below get the attention they deserve.

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