Recommended Citation
Alexandra E. Koch, Nicole K. Carle, and Gregory P. Noone,
U.S. National Security and Climate Change,
56 Case W. Res. J. Int'l L.
31
(2024)
Available at:
https://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/jil/vol56/iss1/5
Abstract
As sea temperatures rise and natural disasters intensify, it is critical that the U.S. national security strategy actively include plans to account for global climate change and address the complex environmental and humanitarian challenges that parallel and are driven by rising temperatures, such as resource scarcity, forced displacement, and regional instability. Climate change acts as a “threat multiplier for instability” in some of the most volatile regions of the world and can contribute to rising tensions even in historically stable regions. Climate change can also lead to increased vulnerability of military infrastructure and logistics, undermine military readiness, and demand a growing amount of military resources. This article discusses the important nexus between climate change and national security, analyzes how the last six U.S. presidential administrations perceived and acted upon climate change as a national security issue, and considers why and how the growing threat of climate change can be further addressed in future U.S. national security discussions and strategies.