To understand climate change’s effects on China or the party’s true plans, the Intelligence Community (IC) will need to use traditional secret information collection approaches. In other cases, the IC may need to devote classified resources. President Elect Biden has signaled that he is going to treat the climate crisis as a national security issue by appointing John Kerry as his Special Envoy for Climate and making him a member of the National Security Council. For Kerry to succeed, he will need intelligence. The climate crisis is a national security issue and the IC must respond with the same focus and investments it makes into other national security issues. Not only does climate change create significant security threats to America through multiplying global instability, it is also a major component of the great power competition with China and Russia. The incoming Biden administration can do much to address climate change as a national security issue. An important first step would be to make changes in the IC so it has the capabilities and focus to help policy makers preserve American interests.
By Anthony Vinci. Breaking Defense. December 15, 2020.
