MA Paper

Abstract: Using military strategy documents, reports, and public statements this paper describes how a sample of Western countries have addressed, both in words and actions, the issue of climate and security. While climate and security issues are conspicuously absent from current United States guiding strategy documents, the United States military continues to take substantive actions that demonstrate the county’s position at the forefront of climate and security – especially in the area of military readiness. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom’s actions lag behind their rhetoric, while New Zealand’s words and actions are commensurate. While all efforts fall short of experts’ recommendation, this work illustrates that neither effusive rhetoric nor conspicuous silence are necessarily predictive of action to address climate change’s security implications.