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A Legacy for Secretary Kerry: Pakistan, Climate Change and Holbrooke’s Vision
Newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry has a long and distinguished history of working at the intersection of national security and climate change. As such, the overlap in these areas of expertise will likely be a particularly important part of his tenure. (For a good overview of why Kerry should address the security risks of climate change see this recent article by Coral Davenport). (more…)
Pakistan’s SDPI: Climate Change is a National Security Threat
The Pakistani government’s Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) convened a seminar last Monday which reportedly ended in unanimous agreement that “climate change has become a national security threat.” The session was chaired by Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, who affirmed that the “Senate Standing Committee on Defence would include climate change as a threat in [the forthcoming] National Security Strategy.” The conference focused on the role of climate change in exacerbating water security issues, including flooding and scarcity (with water high on the “dispute” list with India), particularly given that roughly “60 percent of [Pakistan’s] water comes from glacial melt.” A speaker at the event also highlighted the contribution armed forces of both India and Pakistan are making to the melting of Siachen glacier in Kashmir, echoing warnings from the late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.
When National Disasters Go Global: Drought in the U.S., Food and Global Insecurity
This blog post also appeared on the humanitarian news site AlertNet, as well as Climate Progress and Reuters.
The national Drought Monitor recently declared a drought for almost 80% of the contiguous United States, ranging in intensity from “abnormally dry” to “drought-exceptional.” Five days ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture followed by declaring disasters in 26 U.S. states. This is the largest national disaster area ever declared. But while the drought is obviously a serious concern for the U.S. (historically, droughts are the nation’s most costly natural disaster), it also has worrying implications for other countries that are tied to the U.S. through the global food market. Coupled with other recent extreme weather events across the globe, the U.S. drought could have a globally destabilizing influence. And while it is too early to tell exactly why these events are happening, in the way that they are happening, recent reports show that climatic changes are a part of the story. (more…)
New Chatham House Report: Is the U.S. Prepared for Future Threats in the Asia-Pacific?
Chatham House has just released a very interesting report titled Prepared for Future Threats? US Defence Partnerships in the Asia-Pacific Region. The report highlights the growing importance of the region to U.S. interests, explores U.S. defense partnerships with Asia-Pacific nations, assesses whether or not the U.S. is adequately prepared for the threats most likely to emerge in the region (no surprise that the South China Sea looms large in these scenarios), and offers concrete recommendations for mitigating and preparing for those threats. (more…)