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Arctic Climate Security Weekly Round-Up: The U.S. as an Arctic Nation
For many, the Arctic seems so remote that it may as well be on the moon. But the United States is very much an Arctic nation, and the security implications of climate change effects on the region are significant.
A new report from the Center for a New American Security, and a hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives this week, provide much-needed attention to this critical issue, particularly in light of the lead-up to the U.S. Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Both the report, and testimonies by Admiral Robert Papp, Jr., USCG (Ret), U.S. Special Representative for the Arctic, and Mr. Andrew Holland, Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate at the American Security Project, shed light on the importance of numerous emerging security challenges in the Arctic, including climate change. Details and links to both are listed below. (more…)
UPDATE: Climate Security 101: Why the U.S. National Security Establishment Takes Climate Change Seriously
This is an update to the Center for Climate and Security’s 2012 briefer. A PDF version of this update can also be found here.
In a 2007 report by the CNA Military Advisory Board, General Gordon R. Sullivan stated:
“People are saying they want to be perfectly convinced about climate science projections…But speaking as a soldier, we never have 100 percent certainty. If you wait until you have 100 percent certainty, something bad is going to happen on the battlefield.” (more…)
New Book: Arctic, Climate Change and Shifting Geopolitics
Christian Le Mière, Senior Research Fellow for Naval Forces and Maritime Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and Jeffrey Mazo, Research Fellow for Environmental Security and Science Policy and Managing Editor of Survival at IISS, have just released a new book titled: Arctic Opening: Insecurity and Opportunity. It appears to be a promising read and a great addition to the literature surrounding the rapidly changing situation up in the High North. (more…)
Iceland’s Message to US: Look To the Arctic
In a recent CNN interview by Jason Miks, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the President of Iceland, went into great detail about the changing geopolitical conditions in a melting Arctic and the distinct role of the United States in the region. Iceland, an Arctic nation which recently rebounded from a severe economic shock, can certainly teach us something about balancing domestic and international security priorities (Iceland’s security is also entirely handled by the U.S. military, so its perspective on this issue is quite consistent with that of our armed forces in the region). (more…)