An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

You have accessed part of a historical collection on defense.gov. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function. Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions.
Immediate Release

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Statement on the DoD Climate Risk Analysis

The Department of Defense will continue to work with the interagency, our allies and partners, and the international community to tackle the existential threat of climate change. We share this planet, and shared threats demand shared solutions.

As the Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis makes clear, climate change is altering the strategic landscape and shaping the security environment, posing complex threats to the United States and nations around the world. 

Exacerbated by climate change, extreme weather events are increasingly damaging infrastructure, disrupting supply chains, impacting force readiness and operations, and contributing to humanitarian crises and instability across the globe. 

Climate change is also shaping our strategic interests. Competitive advantage in the future will go to those who can fight and win in this rapidly changing strategic and physical environment. To deter war and protect our country, the Department must understand the ways climate change affects missions, plans, and capabilities.

The Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis lays out a path to incorporate these security considerations into our activities at a strategic level, so we can prevent, mitigate, and respond to this common threat. This report serves as an important first step in understanding national security risks posed by climate change, which will be key to ensuring that the Department fulfills our mission to defend the United States today and into the future.

I encourage you to read the DoD Climate Risk Analysis