General
The oceans are at their hottest since we’ve recorded temperatures. While climate change may not appear to be a security issue, it poses challenges in protecting communities and infrastructure. This has been illustrated in various issues spanning basic sea-level changes to the increased frequency/intensity of coastal storms. With these changes, how we protect our maritime infrastructure and the marine environment becomes increasingly complex.
These conditions have only illustrated how little we understand about our oceans and how they support the global environment. This raises another issue concerning maritime and marine security, the protection of the tools and methods used to study the oceans and their impacts on climate. These tools may range from autonomous vessels operating in highly isolated spaces like the deep sea or involve widely distributed sensor grids supported by complex software and Artificial Intelligence. Protecting these tools against undue interference and preserving the value of their data or operations is an important part of climate-related studies.
The lines between climate change, geopolitics, and resource exploitation are often blurred and can be tied to either areas in conflict or areas that may soon be contested. This issue is evolving in many of the world’s oceans and commercial operations. This may include migrating fish stocks from areas where controls against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing were previously established. It may involve the exposure of the seabed to mining and other forms of resources.
Overview
NASA Earth Observatory Ocean and Climate: providing an overview of the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere.
National Geographic Society: Ocean Currents and Climate. Looking at the impact of the ocean’s currents on events such as severe weather and temperature change.
NOAA Ocean Exploration: “How does the Ocean Affect Climate and Weather on Land?” Provides an overview of how the oceans, land, and air masses interact.
United Nations: How is Climate Change Impacting the World’s Oceans. A view of the issue from the United Nations perspective.
Climate Threats to Infrastructure and Populations
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: Sea Level Rise. Examining the impacts associated with increasing sea levels.
Economist Impact. Coastal Consideration: Community Impacts of Ocean-Based Climate Solutions. Looking at the role of coastal communities and climate.
USA Environmental Protection Agency: Climate Change Impacts on the Ocean and Marine Resources. Looking at how climate change has been affecting marine ecosystems.
NATO Environment, Climate Change, and Security. Looking at the role of NATO and how climate change is affecting that role.