Thus, the abruptness and severity of an unfolding Arctic climate crisis has not been incorporated into long-range planning. Policy makers have not yet had time to examine the more » latest evidence or appreciate the nature of the consequences. Climatologists have long understood that changes in the Arctic would be faster and more intense than elsewhere on the planet, but the degree and speed of the changes were underestimated compared to recent observations.
This warming trend is accelerating permafrost deterioration, coastal erosion, snow and ice loss, and other changes that are a direct consequence of climate change. Parts of Alaska, western Canada, and Siberia are currently warming at twice the global rate. The Arctic region is rapidly changing in a way that will affect the rest of the world. After reviewing these potential problems, the report concludes with a brief listing of some research, technology, and policy measures that might mitigate = , Those impacts, in turn, can lead to national or international security problems stemming from aggravation of internal conflicts, increased poverty and inequality, exacerbation of existing international conflicts, diversion of national and international resources from international security programs (military or non-military), contribution to global economic decline or collapse, or international realignments based on climate change mitigation policies. These changes can severely impact human water supplies, agriculture, migration patterns, infrastructure, financial flows, disease prevalence, and economic activity.
This report originates in a workshop held at Sandia National Laboratories, bringing together a variety of external experts with Sandia personnel to discuss 'The Implications of Global Climate Change for International Security.' Whatever the future of the current global warming trend, paleoclimatic history shows that climate change happens, sometimes abruptly.
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