Climate Change as Catalyst of Conflict

http://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2014/09/climate-change-as-catalyst-of-conflict/

Sept. 22, 2014
Reporting credits: Bud Ward and ChavoBart Digital Media.

A respected military advisory board, with highly ranked retired officers from all branches of the armed forces, evaluated the effects of climate change on national security. They found that climate change is becoming a catalyst for conflict.

Retired Navy Captain Leo Goff points to the 2010 drought in Russia that prompted their government to ban all exports of wheat. This contributed to conflict in the Middle East.

GOFF: “Sustained drought in Russia led to a ban on the export of wheat. This in turn caused the price of bread in Egypt to spike. This resulted in the food riots that we saw on TV, and eventually it was those riots that led to the over-throw of the Egyptian government.”

Those food riots fed what became known as the Arab Spring.

GOFF: “We need to recognize that if we do nothing, these types of conflicts are going to become increasingly prevalent, especially in certain parts of the world where there are vulnerable countries that have challenges already with respect to food, water, and energy.”

The military advisory board says many future conflicts could be avoided if global leaders act now to reduce climate change. I’m Anthony Leiserowitz.

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