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Trump’s Defense Secretary Cites Climate Change as National Security Challenge

James Mattis’ unpublished testimony before a Senate panel recognizes a threat others in the administration reject or minimize.

by Andrew Revkin
ProPublica, March 14, 2017, 11:17 a.m.

IMAGE
James Mattis, then the secretary of defense nominee, arrives at a Senate Armed Services
Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 12, 2017. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Update, Mar. 16, 2017:Our story on March 13 concerning Secretary of Defense James Mattis’ views on the relationship between climate change and national security was based on excerpts from unpublished written exchanges between Mattis and several Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee following his Jan. 12 confirmation hearing. ProPublica has now obtained more comprehensive sets of these “Questions for the Record” and his answers.

While the exchanges mainly focus on climate change, fossil fuel and renewable energy and related security issues, which was the initial reporting focus, they include discussions of Mattis’ views on issues ranging from Iran’s nuclear weapons program to ISIS, Guantanamo and LGBT issues in the military. The merged documents are posted on DocumentCloud. Explore and let us know what excites, irks or confuses you, and share this package with others. Post comments or get in touch via [e-mail].

Secretary of Defense James Mattis has asserted that climate change is real, and a threat to American interests abroad and the Pentagon’s assets everywhere, a position that appears at odds with the views of the president who appointed him and many in the administration in which he serves.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trumps-defense-secretary-cites-climate-change-national-security-challenge

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The Age of Consequences

By PBS International, Jared P Scott

Updated March 16, 2017 15:51:00
The Age of Consequences

The Pentagon insiders with a climate change warning for the world.

The Age of Consequences - Monday 20 March 2017

"We are not your traditional environmentalists." Gen. Gordon Sullivan (Retd), Fmr. Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

Four Corners brings you the views of distinguished former members of the US military and senior policy makers who warn that climate change is not only real, it's a threat to global security.

"I'm here today not only representing my views on security implications of climate change, but on the collective wisdom of 16 admirals and generals." Rear Admiral David Titley (Retd), U.S. Navy

They say climate change is impacting on vital resources, migration patterns and conflict zones.

"Climate change is one of the variables that must be considered when thinking about instability in the world." Gen. Gordon Sullivan (Retd), Fmr. Chief of Staff, U.S. Army

Rear Admiral David Titley spent 32 years in the US military. He was the US Navy's chief oceanographer and led the Navy's Task Force on Climate Change. He argues climate change must be acknowledged.

"Our collective bottom line judgement is that climate change is an accelerating risk to our nation's future." Rear Admiral David Titley (Retd), U.S. Navy

The film analyses the conflict in Syria, the social unrest of the Arab Spring, and the rise of groups like ISIS and how these experts believe climate change is already acting as a catalyst for conflict.

"This is the heart of the problem in many ways. Climate change arrives in a world that has already been destabilised." Dr Christian Parenti

Director Jared P Scott explores how water and food shortages, drought, extreme weather and rising sea-levels can act as accelerants of instability.

"We realised that climate change would be a threat multiplier for instability as people become desperate, because they have extreme weather and the seas are rising, and there are floods in one area and droughts in another, fragile states become more unpredictable." Sherri Goodman, Fmr. Dept Undersecretary of Defense

These Pentagon insiders say a failure to tackle climate change, conducting 'business as usual', would lead to profound consequences.

"It's a very dangerous thing to decide that there is one and only one line of events heading into the future and one and only one best response for dealing with that." Leon Fuerth, Fmr. National Security Adviser, White House '93-'01

The Age of Consequences, from PBS International, directed by Jared P Scott and presented by Sarah Ferguson, goes to air on Monday 20th March at 8.30pm EDT. It is replayed on Tuesday 21st March at 10.00am and Wednesday 22nd at 11pm. It can also be seen on ABC News 24 on Saturday at 8.00pm AEST, and at ABC iview
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2017/03/20/4637278.htm

Sorry last weeks program isn't up yet .. i don't know how it works as while most "Latest Episodes" are here .. http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/episodes/ .. a couple aren't.

See also:

Climate Change, Migration, and Security in South Asia
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=102210428

The Real Roots of Darfur
The violence in Darfur is usually attributed to ethnic hatred. But global warming may be primarily to blame.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=91585080

Number of displaced people worldwide exceeds 50 million: UN report
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=103511267

[2013] South Texas border fence in limbo amid flooding, wildlife worries
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=83870951

Nowhere to turn for Sudan herders
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=59304719

Entire nation of Kiribati to be relocated over rising sea level threat
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=81380064