Climate change causing Pentagon planning shift, says DOD strategist

Chiu said climate change presents challenges that are not of the “traditional military-on-military, state-on-state” variety.

Climate change will generate greater need for humanitarian and disaster-relief aid, Chiu said. He referenced extreme weather events that are intensified by rising sea levels and warmer waters associated with climate change.

That means the DOD needs to engage in more collaborative efforts with other nations and nongovernmental organizations, he said.

“These issues epitomize the global security challenges that we all face,” Chiu said.

Maintaining funding for such efforts will be difficult, Chiu said.

He referenced the DOD belt-tightening set to occur through the next decade. The Pentagon is figuring out how to stomach $500 billion in spending cuts scheduled for that period.

It’s “very tough fight to keep these priorities on the table,” Chiu said.