Climate Change and Megacities: A Dialogue Session
Jakarta harbor. The fastest sinking city in the world. (Source: Getty Images, from BBC).
As the Center for Climate and Security’s Senior Fellow for the Indo-Pacific, I recently participated in a three-day conference hosted by the Hollings Center for International Dialogue that delved into the challenges and opportunities of the world’s megacities. Held in Jakarta, one of the largest megacities in the world, the conference brought together over 20 experts from around the globe to explore key thematic issues of sustainability, climate and energy resiliency, the food-water nexus, social and governance issues, as well as concepts of rejuvenation and heritage preservation. (more…)
UPDATE: Chronology of U.S. Military Statements and Actions on Climate Change and Security: Jan 2017- August 2019
Since January 2017, at least thirty-two senior officials at the U.S. Defense Department (DoD) have publicly raised concerns about, and recommended actions to address, the security implications of climate change, both due to its effect on military infrastructure, readiness and operations, and its broader geostrategic implications for the United States. (more…)
General Middendorp: Don’t leave climate to the environment ministers
General Tom Middendorp, Chief of Defence of the Netherlands (Ret)
In a new Op-ed in Politico, General Tom Middendorp, Chief of Defence of the Netherlands (Ret), and current Chair of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (of which the Center for Climate and Security serves as Secretariat), puts a twist on Georges Clemenceau’s famous saying that “war is too important to be left to the generals,” with “don’t leave climate to the environment ministers.” In it, he encourages the European Commission’s President-elect, Ursula von der Leyen (who will take office on November 1), to continue her track record of taking climate security risks seriously during her tenure. To explain, he states: (more…)
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment: DoD installations will experience significant impacts from a changing climate
The Hon. Robert H. McMahon, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment
It seems to have flown well under the radar (even our radar, and this is pretty much all we do), but thanks to a tip from a renowned sleuth on our team, a guide on climate change adaptation for “Natural Resource Managers” at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been published by the DoD, with an accompanying memo from the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, Robert H. McMahon, that makes a very robust case for why the military, including its installation managers, must do more to be ready for climate change. From the memo:
DoD installations will experience significant impacts from a changing climate which could compromise their capacity to support readiness and undermine DoD‘s ability to protect and restore the native ecosystems needed to conduct realistic training and testing activities.
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