U.S. National Research Council: Climate Change Impacts
"Call for Action by U.S. Naval Leadership"
by Nick Sundt, climatesciencewatch.org -- March 12, 2011
The U.S. National Research Council warned in a new report released March 10, National Security Implications of Climate Change for U.S. Naval Forces, that “even the most moderate predicted trends in climate change will present new national security challenges for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.”
Climate Change will "present new National Security challenges". ... Hmmm?
You'd think, a new "National Security Threat" would get Lawmakers stop their bickering, and start their legislating, to address the many threats, that Climate Change will bring.
You'd think, that would prompt the Traditional Media to report on the new National Research Council report. To inform and educate the Public of the grave dangers we will be facing in the not-so-distant future.
I guess they got more important things to do ...
Heed warning on climate
A new report says action is vital “as soon as possible”
Register Guard Eugene Oregon, Editorial -- May 14, 2011,
The effort to combat global warming has waned in this country, as many Republicans express skepticism about the science of climate change. The federal debt and other issues have preoccupied lawmakers and the American public. A new report by the National Research Council makes a powerful argument that putting off the problem any longer would be folly.
The council, which represents the nation’s scientific establishment, warns that global warming is real and that action should be taken “as soon as possible” to reduce carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
Contrary to the claims of climate skeptics, the report emphasizes that warming trends cannot be explained by natural factors such as changes in incoming energy from the sun or natural climate variability. The report says the effects of climate change on human and natural systems will intensify as warming continues.
That’s a timely reminder on the heels of a recent disastrous stretch of weather in this country. So far in 2011, the United States has been slammed with five weather disaster costing more than $1 billion each.
You'd think, a series of Billion Dollar Disasters would get Lawmakers stop their Budget-wrangling, and start their legislating, to address the very costly impacts of Climate Change.
You'd think, that would prompt the Traditional Media, to connect a few dots ... between what Scientists have been predicting ... and what we have been seeing. What we will continue to see.
But I guess they got more important things to do ...
Panel says US must act now to curb global warming
By Dina Cappiello, Associated Press -- May 13, 2011
[...]
The report released Thursday from a 22-member panel assembled by the National Research Council strongly suggests that the U.S. should be heading in a different direction. But it also recognizes that some strategies may be politically infeasible.
[...]
The best and most economical way to address global warming, the panel concludes, is to put a price on carbon pollution through a tax or a market-based system. The Democratic-led House, with the support of President Barack Obama, passed a bill nearly two years ago that would have set up a market for greenhouse gas emissions. It died in the Senate amid concerns that it would raise energy prices and a Republican campaign calling it "cap-and-tax."
Obama said after the election last year that he would seek other ways to combat global warming, since the new House majority would not support his preferred approach.
At a meeting in New York Thursday with Associated Press editors and reporters, U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres said that Congress' failure to pass legislation is a "very serious hand brake" on global efforts to fight global warming.
[...]
The expert panel Thursday said the next-best ways to reduce pollution would be to expand efforts at the local, state and regional levels and for the federal government to adopt standards under the Clean Air Act. The EPA's use of that law is what Republicans in Congress are attacking.
You'd think, that Republicans Lawmakers could stop their sloganeering and tilting at EPA Windmills, long enough to LEARN about what the Military is being advised to do, about the NEW Global Geopolitical Threats, that WILL result from the rapidly increasing pace of Climate Change.
You'd think, that the Traditional Media, might pick the side of Objectivity for once, and actually report on more than just the fact-less Opinions that the GOP is renown for, parroting.
But no doubt, they all have more important things to do ...
Climate Change Seen as Threat to U.S. Security
by John M. Broder, NYTimes -- Aug 8, 2009
[...]
Recent war games and intelligence studies conclude that over the next 20 to 30 years, vulnerable regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia, will face the prospect of food shortages, water crises and catastrophic flooding driven by climate change that could demand an American humanitarian relief or military response.
[...]
Much of the public and political debate on global warming has focused on finding substitutes for fossil fuels, reducing emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases and furthering negotiations toward an international climate treaty -- not potential security challenges.
But a growing number of policy makers say that the world’s rising temperatures, surging seas and melting glaciers are a direct threat to the national interest.
Since our Lawmakers are too worried about their own personal assets;
Since our Traditional Media is too worried about which day-to-day trivia, leads to the best ratings;
I guess I will have to report on that National Research Council report myself. It looks like the NRC has the backing of the National Academy of Sciences, and they have attention of the Admirals of the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, too.
Apparently, these Leaders were NOT too busy, to take as serious look at this important NEW National Security Report:
National Academy of Sciences
National Security Implications of Climate Change for U.S. Naval Forces:
Letter Report (2010)
Naval Studies Board (NSB)
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Washington, DC 20001
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
[Pg 3]
The committee focused its initial assessments either on climate change issues that it believes will have the greatest effects on naval forces or on issues that may require immediate planning. The committee views global climate change as a long-term issue that will play out over the next several decades. However, because of the long lead times in developing and changing naval capabilities and because of the potential for global climate change to have a significant impact on future naval missions, near-term awareness, planning, and decisions are needed by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The following sections of this report, in which appropriate supporting data are provided, present the committee’s findings and recommendations [...]
Naval Forces Responses in Future Climate-Change-Related Events
[Pg 4]
[...] Viewed from a national security standpoint, these changes would likely amplify stresses on weaker nations and generate geopolitical instability in already-vulnerable regions.9 A range of military missions might be necessary as a result of such conditions, including the sorts of antipiracy and counterterrorism missions now being conducted off the waters of Somalia. However, the clearest implications are for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) missions, which may increase in frequency, thereby straining military transportation resources and the supporting force structures. [...]
Allied Forces Responses in Future Climate-Change-Related Events
[Pg 5]
An issue closely related to U.S. naval capabilities and global response to projected climate change is the role of allied forces partnerships. The committee received briefings from the National Intelligence Council suggesting that, in addition to the security challenges discussed above, the impact of projected severe climate change on food or water supplies and on disease patterns in certain regions of the world may lead to large-scale regional population movements, resulting potentially in millions of what some have termed “climate refugees” fleeing environmental “hotspots.”14,15 [...]
Recommendation 1:
[Pg 6]
[...] All of the U.S. naval forces (the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) should begin to consider potential specific force-structure capabilities and training standards over the next 10 years for conducting missions arising from the effects of climate change. [...]
You'd think that the global security threats of:
geopolitical instability,
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,
severe impacts on food and water supplies and on disease outbreaks,
population displacements soon to be known as 'climate refugees'
You'd think, all that would get the serious attention of our heads-in-the-sand Lawmakers;
You'd think the Traditional Media would force 'dare' those Lawmakers to take a stand, on the long-term threats facing the World, and our Country's Military -- STILL predicted, due to Climate Change.
But to their, forever-lasting Blame, they got nothing-what-so-ever better to do.
They're are just too lazy, or too oblivious, or just too-driven by personal ambition, to give a damn about what happens to the Planet and its People, after they move on, from their positions of RESPONSIBILITY ... and Fame.
Afterall that's somebody else's problem right? "Climate Change is hardly an exact Science", now is it? ... or so, they'd like to string us along believing, until they've long left the public scene. With their own personal security, well in hand -- they always make damn sure of that. Now don't they?
They are never TOO busy for that.