A Plan to Climate-Proof the U.S. Government

On September 24^th, EESI and the Center for Climate and Security hosted the 2019 Climate and National Security Forum which launched the Climate and Security Advisory Group’s new report, A Climate Security Plan for America. Climate change poses a significant and unavoidable risk to national security as sea levels rise, natural disasters worsen, and violent climate conflicts emerge. The plan details ways the executive branch, and specifically the U.S. President, can help climate-proof the nation and government. Climate-proofing the government means taking steps to prepare for climate impacts, so that government entities are more resilient when these impacts do occur. Some of the recommendations in the plan include:

• Create a White House Office on Climate Security to implement and oversee A Climate Security Plan for America. This step will elevate climate change as a national security priority and enhance government capacity to address the issue.
• Establish a National Arctic Security Policy to ensure that U.S. armed forces can operate in the Arctic region as sea ice melts and new navigable waterways emerge.
• Assess climate-related national security risks by supporting climate change research and conducting climate security infrastructure assessments to address the vulnerabilities of vital infrastructure.
• Form a Security Forces Climate Engagement Plan to increase the climate resilience of U.S. and allied militaries. This plan would prepare militaries for climate disasters and adapt military operations to consider changing climactic conditions.
• Adapt existing Department of Defense infrastructure threatened by extreme weather events and develop new climate resilient building standards to increase resilience.
• The United States should remain in the Paris Agreement and create Regional Climate Security Plans to strengthen itself as an international climate resilience leader.

As the plan details, “the U.S. President should demonstrate leadership, assess climate risks, support allies and partners, and prepare for and prevent climate impacts.” Though the report focuses on actions the executive branch can take, Congress can also play a key role by directing the administration to take resilience measures.

By Savannah Bertrand