It’s about time warming is made a security issue
By Selena Shilad
RE “PENTAGON fighting global warming? Some say security fears are counterproductive’’ (Page A1, Aug. 22): Your article on climate change and national security unfortunately examines this debate as a political issue of being “securitized’’ rather than a longstanding security issue that is finally making it into the public dialogue.
Climate change is an imminent threat to America’s security, and has been recognized as such by the Pentagon and foreign policy experts, not because anyone wants to commit our armed forces to a greater extent around the globe, but, conversely, because we have to grapple with the repercussions of these changes whether we like it or not. The truth is that it will be cheaper and easier to do so now before these changes have reached a catastrophic level.
Scarcity of resources, decreasing land, and rising sea levels resulting from global warming will all have wide-ranging implications for world health and economic stability. These changes will result in mass migrations, increased conflicts, and destabilized governments. Not only that, we cannot stand by as China and other countries take the lead in developing technologies to deal with these threats.
If nothing is done now, these looming threats could quickly become a reality that America and the rest of the global community will have to contend with at much greater financial and human cost.
Selena Shilad
Director of external relations
American Security Project
Washington
