HR 1961 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To address security risks posed by global climate change, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

April 19, 2007

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. OLVER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To address security risks posed by global climate change, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Global Climate Change Security Oversight Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 2007 the average annual temperature in the United States and around the global is approximately 1.0 degree Fahrenheit warmer than at the start of the 20th century, and the rate of warming has accelerated during the past 30 years, increasing globally since the mid-1970s. The fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted that the Earth will warm 0.72 degrees Fahrenheit during the next 2 decades with current emission trends.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The annual national security strategy report submitted pursuant to section 108 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404a) for 2006 states that the United States faces new security challenges, including `environmental destruction, whether caused by human behavior or cataclysmic mega-disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or tsunamis. Problems of this scope may overwhelm the capacity of local authorities to respond, and may even overtax national militaries, requiring a larger international response. These challenges are not traditional national security concerns, such as the conflict of arms or ideologies. But if left unaddressed they can threaten national security.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) According to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, average temperature increases of between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius over preindustrial levels are projected to cause the sea level to rise by between 2 and 4 meters by 2100 due to melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) In 2007, more than 200,000,000 people live in coastal floodplains around the world and 2,000,000 square kilometers of land and an estimated $1,000,000,000,000 worth of assets are less than a 1-meter elevation above sea level.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) An estimated 1,700,000,000 people in the world live in areas where water is scarce and in 25 years that population is projected to increase to 5,400,000,000. Climate change will impact the hydrological cycle and change the location, time of year, and intensity of water availability.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The report of the World Health Organization entitled `The World Health Report 2002: Reducing Risks and Promoting Healthy Life' states that `Effects of climate change on human health can be expected to be mediated through complex interactions of physical, ecological, and social factors. These effects will undoubtedly have a greater impact on societies or individuals with scarce resources, where technologies are lacking, and where infrastructure and institutions (such as the health sector) are least able to adapt.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Environmental changes relating to global climate change represent a potentially significant threat multiplier for instability around the world as changing precipitation patterns may exacerbate competition and conflict over agricultural, vegetative, and water resources and displace people, thus increasing hunger and poverty and causing increased pressure on fragile countries.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) The strategic, social, political, and economic consequences of global climate change are likely to have a greater adverse effect on less developed countries with fewer resources and infrastructures that are less able to adjust to new economic and social pressures, and where the margin for governance and survival is thin.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) The consequences of global climate change represent a clear and present danger to the security and economy of the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) A failure to recognize, plan for, and mitigate the strategic, social, political, and economic effects of a changing climate will have an adverse impact on the national security interests of the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.

(a) Requirement for National Intelligence Estimate-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to Congress a National Intelligence Estimate on the anticipated geopolitical effects of global climate change and the implications of such effects on the national security of the United States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) NOTICE REGARDING SUBMITTAL- If the Director of National Intelligence determines that the National Intelligence Estimate required by paragraph (1) cannot be submitted by the date set out in that paragraph, the Director shall notify Congress and provide--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the reasons that the National Intelligence Estimate cannot be submitted by such date; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) an estimated date for the submittal of the National Intelligence Estimate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Content- The Director of National Intelligence shall prepare the National Intelligence Estimate required by this section using the mid-range projections of the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to assess the political, social, agricultural, and economic risks during the 30-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act posed by global climate change for countries or regions that are--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) of strategic economic or military importance to the United States and at risk of significant impact due to global climate change; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) at significant risk of large-scale humanitarian suffering with cross-border implications as predicted on the basis of the assessments;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to assess other risks posed by global climate change, including increased conflict over resources or between ethnic groups, within countries or transnationally, increased displacement or forced migrations of vulnerable populations due to inundation or other causes, increased food insecurity, and increased risks to human health from infectious disease;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to assess the capabilities of the countries or regions described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) to respond to adverse impacts caused by global climate change;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) to assess the strategic challenges and opportunities posed to the United States by the risks described in paragraph (1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) to assess the security implications and opportunities for the United States economy of engaging, or failing to engage successfully, with other leading and emerging major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions in efforts to reduce emissions and adopt mitigation and adaptation strategies, including transitioning from reliance upon finite fossil fuels such as imported petroleum and natural gas to clean domestic renewable energy sources; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) to make recommendations for further assessments of security consequences of global climate change that would improve national security planning.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Coordination- In preparing the National Intelligence Estimate under this section, the Director of National Intelligence shall consult with representatives of the scientific community, including atmospheric and climate studies, security studies, conflict studies, economic assessments, and environmental security studies, the Secretaries of Defense, State, Treasury, Commerce, Energy, Agriculture, and Transportation, the Federal Reserve Board, and the United States Trade Representative, the Administrator of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and, if appropriate, multilateral institutions and allies of the United States that have conducted significant research on global climate change.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Form- The National Intelligence Estimate required by this section shall be submitted in unclassified form, to the extent consistent with the protection of intelligence sources and methods, and include unclassified key judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate. Such National Intelligence Estimate may include a classified annex.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE.

(a) Report by the Secretary of Defense- Not later than 270 days after the date that the National Intelligence Estimate required by section 3 is submitted to Congress, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States House of Representatives and Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate a report on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the projected impact on the military installations and capabilities of the United States of the effects of global climate change as assessed in the National Intelligence Estimate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the projected impact on United States military operations of the effects of global climate change described in the National Intelligence Estimate; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) recommended research and analysis needed to further assess the impacts on the military of global climate change.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Sense of Congress on the Next Quadrennial Defense Review- It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should address the findings of the National Intelligence Estimate required by section 3 regarding the impact of global climate change and potential implications of such impact on the Armed Forces and for the size, composition, and capabilities of Armed Forces in the next Quadrennial Defense Review.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Report by the Secretary of State- Not later than 270 days after the date that the National Intelligence Estimate required by section 3 is submitted to Congress, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the United States Senate a report that addresses--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the potential for large migration flows in countries of strategic interest or humanitarian concern as a response to changes in climate and the implications for United States security interests; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the potential for diplomatic opportunities and challenges facing United States policy makers as a result of social, economic, or political responses of groups or nations to global changing climate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF RESEARCH.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Defense is authorized to carry out research on the impacts of global climate change on military operations, doctrine, organization, training, material, logistics, personnel, and facilities and the actions needed to address those impacts. Such research may include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the use of war gaming and other analytical exercises;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) analysis of the implications for United States defense capabilities of large-scale Arctic sea-ice melt and broader changes in Arctic climate;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) analysis of the implications for United States defense capabilities of abrupt climate change;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) analysis of the implications of the findings derived from the National Intelligence Estimate required in section 3 Act for United States defense capabilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) analysis of the strategic implications for United States defense capabilities of direct physical threats to the United States posed by extreme weather events such as hurricanes; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) analysis of the existing policies of the Department of Defense to assess the adequacy of the Department's protections against climate risks to United States capabilities and military interests in foreign countries.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Report- Not later than 2 years after the date that the National Intelligence Estimate required by section 3 is submitted to Congress, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the research, war games, and other activities carried out pursuant to subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink