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Governor Christine Todd Whitman on Hurricane Sandy

On October 30^th, ASP Board member, former Administrator of the EPA, and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman was interviewed about Hurricane Sandy on CNBC. In that interview she discussed her admiration for the government’s pre-impact preparations, dealing with changing weather patterns, and the importance of treating climate change as a real national security concern.

When asked about how Hurricane Sandy might alter the climate change debate, Governor Whitman responded:

Whether you think humans cause it or not, you can certainly say that human activity is exacerbating a natural trend… we know that the earth has been changing since it was formed, and if there’s anything that we can do to slow it down or to better prepare… this has national security implications for us, too, the way things are changing. We need to take it seriously

ASP’s stance on climate change is that increasingly large amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are transforming the global climate, and that there is compelling evidence that current trends are both unprecedented and man-made.

We are aware that the earth is warming and that each decade since the 1970s has been warmer than the last. According to climate scientists, this warming trend will continue and it will most likely accelerate. This rise in temperature will result in worsening flooding, the raising of ocean levels, disruptions in trade routes and agricultural production, increased political instability, and changing weather patterns. In fact, there is some evidence that Hurricane Sandy’s intensity and path can be linked to man-made climate change.

As a result of climate change, natural disasters (like Sandy) are expected to increase, further threatening America’s security, economy, and infrastructure. Soon, as Governor Whitman warned, Americans may not be able to build homes in certain areas due to the risk of flooding and inclement weather.

On November 1, ASP is releasing the 2012 Climate Security Report, which will feature a discussion involving Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, US Army (Ret.); Brigadier General Steven Anderson, US Army (Ret.); and CEO of American Security Project Brigadier General Steve Cheney, USMC (Ret.). Come join us, as we discuss how climate change will affect peace and security around the world, what climate change means for the security of the U.S. homeland, and how it will affect U.S. military installations both at home and abroad.

Governor Whitman also did a conference call with reporters today to discuss the importance of ASP’s Climate Security Report. You can find the audio of that call by clicking here.

Links:

Pay Now, Pay Later: A State-by-State Assessment of the Costs of Climate Change

ASP’s Climate Change Page

Critical Energy Choices for the Next Administration Report

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