NPS Launches Climate and Security Network

By Kristen Fletcher, Faculty Associate-Research, Energy Academic Group

Building on the momentum of the Executive Orders on Climate Change, especially Executive Order 14008 which places climate at the center of U.S. foreign policy and national security, NPS launched a Climate and Security Network in March. The Network supports climate and security research and curricular needs of the Navy and DoD. It coordinates research and other activities on climate and security across NPS to provide the optimum opportunity for understanding and analysis of these issues to NPS students, the Navy and DoD.

The goals of the Network are to:

• Connect faculty and researchers at NPS who are engaged in researching and teaching topics related to climate and security;
• Present NPS expertise on issues related to climate and security;
• Create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, learning and problem-solving; and,
• Provide a forum for discussion, sharing of expertise and information, and welcome external colleagues.

The Network hosts a Speaker Series including Joe Bryan, Senior Advisor on Climate to the Secretary of Defense, who spoke just days after the White House Leaders Summit on Climate, offering insight into how DoD can meet climate and security challenges moving forward. Also in April, John Conger, Director of the Center for Climate and Security, offered an overview of the Executive Orders and the mandates and vision laid out by the President and Secretary of Defense Austin. NPS faculty who research and teach in the climate and security area will be featured in future events.

The Network is open to NPS faculty, students and alumni and maintains a distribution list for external partners. Visit nps.edu/climate to join.