Short Summary of Program (length approx 2 paragraphs):
Over the past decade, the scientific evidence on climate change and the role of human activities has become overwhelming and impossible to ignore. In fact, it now appears that some warming has already occurred, and will continue to occur, no matter what actions we take. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that even if global action could begin reducing total global greenhouse gas emissions before 2015 – an increasingly unlikely scenario – we should still expect a global average warming of 2⁰C above the pre-industrial era temperature. Alone, a 2⁰C increase will cause strong dislocations and shifts in regional weather patterns. Increases beyond 2⁰C could have profound and disturbing consequences on the planet. Unfortunately, the extent of warming beyond this point is difficult to know, and dependent upon human efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Around the world, military and strategic planners must operate in a world of uncertainty. They understand that a failure to act and a failure to plan for an uncertain future are intolerable. The IISS’s Transatlantic Dialogue on Climate Change and Security provides a forum for policy makers – particularly in the defence, security, and intelligence communities – to explore the ways in which a warming global climate will affect global and regional security. Particular areas of focus are: the effects of a warming climate on weak and distressed states, the shifting balance of power in the Arctic, the implications of reduced food and water supplies, and how global security organizations should adapt their institutions to best respond to the challenges of a warming climate.
The IISS Transatlantic Dialogue on Climate Change and Security is funded by a grant from the European Commission and is managed by Andrew Holland.
