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Climate Change, Wildfires, the Military and Artificial Intelligence
Kincade Fire, seen by NOAA’s GOES West on Oct. 24, 2019, covering 10,000 acres
By Marc Kodack
In the western United States, climate change is increasing the risk of wildfires, such as the ongoing Kincade Fire that is devastating northern California. This is in part because increased temperatures driven by greenhouse gas emissions are drying out available fuels for fires. As we’re seeing today, when ignition occurs under these conditions, fires can become extraordinarily challenging for local communities and first responders to manage. (more…)
The New U.S. Department of Defense Leadership Team on Climate Security
Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark A. Milley, USA
By John Conger
As the confirmation processes continue for both Mark Esper to become Secretary of Defense and General Mark A. Milley to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it is worth exploring what these officials have said and done about climate security in general, or particular aspects of it, while they’ve been in their current positions running the Army – including most recently during the confirmation process.
First, as Secretary of the Army, Dr. Esper submitted to Congress a top ten list of his most climate-vulnerable bases, focusing mostly on drought and desertification, and committed to “work closely with other leaders throughout the Department of Defense and with Congress to identify corrective actions and implement steps to enhance our readiness and capability in the face of climate related threats.” (more…)
Pentagon Environmental Research Program Webinar on Climate Change Adaptation
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) host an excellent webinar series to “promote the transfer of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions developed through projects funded in five program areas.” One of those areas involves presenting solutions to the security implications of climate change. The webinar scheduled for June 20 at 12pm ET is titled “Developing Adaptation Strategies to Address Climate Change and Uncertainty,” and promises to be an interesting discussion with Dr. Yonas Demissie of Washington State University and Dr. Mark Wigmosta of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Click here for more information, and to register.
Briefer: The Pentagon’s Forthcoming Climate Report – What to Expect and How Congress Should Use It
In February 2018, the Climate and Security Advisory Group (CSAG) issued a report titled “A Responsibility to Prepare – Strengthening National and Homeland Security in the Face of a Changing Climate” which included a series of recommendations for the U.S. government. Among its recommendations, the CSAG supported Congressional direction in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act to assess vulnerabilities to military installations and combatant commander requirements resulting from climate change. In that assessment, Congress directs the Department of Defense (DoD) to identify the ten installations per military service that are most vulnerable to climate change. That report is due on December 12, 2018.
Today, a little less than a month before that deadline, the CSAG is publishing a briefer offering context, advice and recommendations to Congress and the DoD regarding this report, and next steps on assessing and preparing for climate change risks to the nation’s military. Click here for the full report.