Potential effects of climate change on global security

The science is clear that climate change is one of the most important issues facing humanity. The changing climate is already affecting humanity and our economies in many ways. These effects will increase as the climate continues to change, and the effects are expected to increase dramatically over the coming decades. Climate-related hazards exacerbate other stressors, often with negative outcomes for livelihoods, especially for people living in poverty. Climate change can amplify existing stresses and vulnerabilities among populations and existing threats to security and can indirectly increase risks of violence and violent conflict. This paper is aimed at examining the changes occurring to the Earth’s climate, what additional changes in climate are likely to occur over the coming decades, and how climate change could affect global security. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.