"Climate Change Deemed Growing Security Threat by Military Researchers"

"WASHINGTON — The accelerating rate of climate change poses a severe risk to national security and acts as a catalyst for global political conflict, a report published Tuesday by a leading government-funded military research organization concluded.

The Center for Naval Analyses Military Advisory Board found that climate change-induced drought in the Middle East and Africa is leading to conflicts over food and water and escalating longstanding regional and ethnic tensions into violent clashes. The report also found that rising sea levels are putting people and food supplies in vulnerable coastal regions like eastern India, Bangladesh and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam at risk and could lead to a new wave of refugees.

In addition, the report predicted that an increase in catastrophic weather events around the world will create more demand for American troops, even as flooding and extreme weather events at home could damage naval ports and military bases."

Coral Davenport reports for the New York Times May 13, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Climate Change Poses Growing National-Security Threat: Report" (TIME)

"Climate Change Poses Growing Threat of Conflict in the Arctic, Report Finds" (Guardian)

"Four-Star Warning: Generals Dub Climate Change a Security Risk" (NBC News)