BGen. Cheney in London, Brussels, and Berlin: Climate Change Threatens our Security
ASP CEO, BGen. Stephen Cheney, recently went on a tour of Europe to promote awareness of climate change as a national security threat. He discussed how the incoming President needs to take climate change seriously. BGen. Cheney talked about how numerous issues, such as the Arab Spring and Syria, Boko Haram, and extreme weather in the United States, are all results of climate change.
ASP CEO BGen. Cheney on BBC Live
Early December, ASP CEO BGen. Cheney and former military advisor to the President of Bangladesh Gen. Munir Muniruzzaman were invited to discuss their new documentary “The Age of Consequences” on BBC. Both BGen. Cheney and Gen. Muniruzzaman connect climate change with security challenges around the globe, particularly in Bangladesh where sea level rise could lead to massive climate migration crisis.
“If you think you have a migration crisis now in Europe, wait to see what happens in 20-30 years now coming out of Africa then.”
ASP CEO BGen. Cheney on Sky News
During his recent tour of Europe, BGen. Stephen Cheney also held and interview with Sky News to discuss the security risks posed by climate change and the necessity of the incoming administration to join the global community that has acknowledged its threat. Mass migration, spikes in terrorism, civil war, and the costs of infrastructure replacement are just a few of the effects caused by climate change. These are costly and BGen. Cheney expressed his hope that the business and cost benefit analysis will be received by the incoming administration and acted upon.
“Maybe on January 20th when he [Donald Trump] takes that oath of office to defend the country against all enemies foreign and domestic, he’s going to realize that top among the enemies is climate change.”
ASP CEO BGen. Cheney on CNN International
BGen. Cheney joined CNN to discuss the future of climate security and the policy stance of the new administration on climate change. Cheney expresses his hope that the president-elect will be receptive to changing his stance on climate change by the costs of climate refugees, infrastructure destruction, impact on terror and conflict, and the acceptance of climate change in the global community.
“This [climate change] is such an important issue and so many countries, hundreds now after Paris and COP21 and COP22, have signed up. It’s our hope that they will put pressure on him [Donald Trump] and that certainly us as retired military folks who understand the impact of climate change will be able to have an impact on him as well.”
ASP CEO BGen. Cheney on WABC Australia
BGen. Cheney was invited to interview with ABC News correspondent Auskar Surbakti to discuss how global peace and security is threatened from climate change.
BGen. Cheney describes the two categories he places climate change threats into: tactical level changes, which include the threat of U.S. bases abroad that will be hurt by sea level ride, and strategic level changes, such as the increase in global migrant refugees in the aftermath of droughts, extreme weather, and sea level rise.
Their conversation also explores the doubts many spectators have regarding how the incoming administration will treat the Paris Agreement, which will set the tone for how the U.S. will tailor its climate policy in the next four years.
“Certainly the senior military leadership in this country [the United States] and those of us who have been around the military for 30 or 40 years understand the significant threat that climate change poses to stability not just in the United States, but worldwide.”
The Guardian: Climate Change Will Stir ‘Unimaginable’ Refugee Crisis, Says Military
“Countries are going to pay for climate change one way or another. The best way to pay for it is by tackling the root causes of climate change and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. If we do not, the national security impacts will be increasingly costly and challenging.”
The Daily Mail: Military Experts Warn of ‘Epic’ Humanitarian Crisis Sparked by Climate Change
“Climate change could lead to a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. We’re already seeing migration of large numbers of people around the world because of food scarcity, water insecurity and extreme weather, and this is set to become the new normal.”
Climate Change News: Trump Defence Secretary Favourite ‘Gets Climate Change’
“There’s a fair percentage of conflicts today that have a linkage to climate change that was not previously there. These include the Arab Spring and Syrian civil war – two insurrections that define world politics and security today.”
EurActiv: U.S. General: EU Leaders Must Pressure Trump over Climate Change Scepticism
“We are not into saving polar bears here, we’re into saving people, we’re into saving our country and we’re into saving the world from what is going to happen with climate change.”
