Environment, Climate Change and Security - Foresight Brief No. 012 March 2019

Climate change is happening, and it is a threat to human security. The potential future effects of global climate change include more frequent wildfires, longer periods of drought in some regions, and an increase in the number, duration and intensity of tropical storms. Recent global news headlines in 2018 from Europe, Japan, and Australia decry our lack of preparation for the inevitable and point to new stressors that will change the way we live. On 9 August 2018, the New York Times proclaimed, “2018 is shaping up to be the fourth-hottest year, yet we’re still not prepared for global warming”. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed this trend on 06 February 2019.