Climate Change Is a Threat to Global Security That Demands a Global Response

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly approved a resolution calling on member nations to lead at the UN climate negotiations in December and secure a deal on controlling fossil fuel emissions. NATO officials recognize that volatile weather, food and water shortages, and economic disruptions destabilize communities and exacerbate conflict. “NATO itself was also urged to improve strategic awareness of the security threats increasingly posed by climate change,” writes Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, director of Strategy at UCL Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy Department and a former NATO commander in an opinion essay. “Indeed, there is compelling evidence to show that a prolonged period of extreme drought has contributed to the current conflict in Syria, with the attendant mass movement of people within the region and beyond. Just as the impacts of the Syrian crisis reach across borders, so the security challenges of a changing climate are global.” About 140 nations have plans for addressing climate change. – YaleGlobal