The Lawfare Podcast
Lawfare Daily: Climate Security During the Trump Administration
Apr 9, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate Security, delves into climate change as a pressing national security issue. She highlights the surprising omission of climate risks in the Annual Threat Assessment during the Trump administration. Sikorsky discusses the negative implications of neglecting climate security for military readiness and international collaborations. She emphasizes how natural disasters challenge troop morale and the importance of integrating climate considerations into U.S. defense policies for future resilience.
30:31
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Quick takeaways
- The omission of climate change from the Annual Threat Assessment indicates a troubling shift in its perceived priority by the administration.
- Climate-induced disasters pose significant national security risks, disrupting military readiness and diverting resources from traditional defense priorities.
Deep dives
Omission of Climate Change in National Threat Assessment
The intelligence community's Annual Threat Assessment (ATA) notably excluded climate change for the first time in over a decade, raising concerns about its prioritization. This omission suggests a shift in how the current administration perceives climate risks, indicating a possible politicization of the issue. Historically, climate change has been included due to its impact on stability, food security, and the operational readiness of military installations facing climate hazards. The absence of this crucial assessment weakens the acknowledgment of climate-related threats and sends a message that these issues are not a priority.
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