Pentagon unveils plan for military's response to climate change

By W.J. Hennigan

October 13, 2014, 10:30 AM| Reporting from AREQUIPA, Peru

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel addressed the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas on Monday, unveiling a comprehensive plan for how the U.S. military will address the effects of climate change..

Rising global temperatures, increasing sea levels and intensifying weather events will challenge global stability, he said, and could lead to food and water shortages, pandemic disease and disputes over refugees and resources.

Among the report's conclusions: Coastal military installations that are vulnerable to flooding will need to be altered; humanitarian assistance missions will be more frequent in the face of more intense natural disasters; weapons and other critical military equipment will need to work under more severe weather conditions.

“This road map shows how we are identifying -- with tangible and specific metrics, and using the best available science -- the effects of climate change on the department’s missions and responsibilities,” Hagel said. “Drawing on these assessments, we will integrate climate change considerations into our planning, operations, and training.”

It’s necessary to work with regional partners to address the risks posed by climate change, he said. The U.S. military has completed a joint assessment with officials from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago on the implications.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-amer...1013-story.html