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NewSecurityBeat

The blog of the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program
  • On the Beat

    Understanding and Responding to the Role of Drought in National Security

    September 24, 2019 By Isabella Caltabiano
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    “We don’t have a world water crisis, we have a world water management crisis,” said Brigadier General Gerald Galloway (U.S. Army Ret.) at the 2nd National Drought Forum, hosted by the National Integrated Drought Information System and the National Drought Resilience Partnership at the United States Institute of Peace. The Forum brought together subject matter experts with federal and state leaders to discuss how to strengthen the state-federal relationship to improve U.S. drought readiness and resilience.

    On a panel titled “Linking National Security and Drought,” Galloway, Wilson Center Senior Fellow Sherri Goodman, and Vice Admiral Lee Gunn (U.S. Navy Ret.) discussed the importance of making our nation drought-ready and resilient. “Extreme weather events can disrupt the conditions under which people have lived, built their infrastructure, developed their culture,” said Gunn. Areas that are resilient first identify their risks and then plan how to respond when faced with such challenges, said Galloway. There is now a recognized need to move away from reactive to proactive approaches to drought risk management, said Goodman, suggesting that American early warning systems and information sharing be improved to assist in risk response planning.

    “Water is critical to our nation’s security,” said Goodman. “As vulnerable countries face prolonged drought and crisis, the US military will become the 9-1-1 of disaster relief.” According to a new report, extreme water stress effects a quarter of the world’s population. Countries important to US strategic interests are experiencing drought and heightened tensions over the competition of resources. The Syrian civil war illustrates one of the starkest examples of how a prolonged drought has helped fuel conflict, said Goodman. President Bashar al-Assad’s response to and mismanagement of the drought in Syria helped drive people from the countryside to cities that lacked the critical services and infrastructure needed to support the growing urban populations, deepening tensions that ultimately fed into violent conflict.

    Military bases could be the launch platforms for resilience, said Galloway. A Pentagon report found that there are 43 bases in areas that are facing drought. These droughts can exacerbate heat-related illnesses, wildfires, and the ability to train. When our bases are at risk, we cannot fulfill our military missions overseas. Once drought resilience measures are on military bases, a similar model can be applied to non-military regions and events, said Galloway.

    Focusing on the resilience of a military base can have positive knock-on effects for neighboring communities, said Gunn. Our soldiers depend on accurate information critical to their mission but so do the civilians surrounding the area. While there is no silver bullet or single technology that can solve the global water crisis, improved collaboration and a better understanding of the security risks posed by drought can inform more sophisticated and effective early warning systems, said Goodman.

    Read More:

    • How has drought influenced migration in the Central America?
    • Allocation mechanisms for shared water resources help prepare for a climate changed future.
    • California’s water supply solutions serve as an American model for water management.

    Isabella Caltabiano is a research assistant to Senior Fellow, Sherri Goodman.

    Sources: Department of Defense, NIDIS, New York Times, The Guardian.

    Photo Credit: Oxfam truck delivering clean water into Harshin district. Ethiopia, February 2011. Courtesy of Oxfam East Africa.

    Topics: conflict, environment, featured, military, On the Beat, research, security, U.S.
    • Kevin Kinney

      Hello NSB, I think I have the “Silver Bullet.”
      My new Desalination / Power Plant can be built to supply fresh water and energy.

      My project is an OFF GRID system. No fuels needed. No tech you know about today.

      So, real quick, no wind, no wave, no thermal, no kidding. It’s new.

      It is sizeable from a Lifeboat Unit, to a Large plant to supply an island / town / city.

      It can scale up.
      The smaller size can benefit Fishermen to have on board a way to produce freshwater and energy.
      I’m looking to sell this to someone who can do this right. Someone who can see this threw to the end where we wont see drought as an issue any more.
      From this, I know world hunger can be stopped. Well, with “government” cooperation in areas of “problems.”

      Sale price is VERY Low. If you could put a price on this, it would be extremely huge, as this is a true world changer. A system that produces abundant fresh water and energy.

      I frankly need help to sell this to someone good. Someone who truly cares about people.

      A true visionary that can see ALL the possibilities. This is a turn key system. Once it’s built, it will run. The desalination and power generating systems may need to be maintained. Like any other desalination, power plant.

      So, the costs are up front, and threw time it pays for it’s self with fresh water, energy, and what that can produces. With fresh water, energy, you can have light at night to have evening study’s. Study’s that helps the people learn their way out of poverty.

      Locals should be taught native art production, for high end pieces that will help their own homes, their communities change for the better.

      With a better self motivated education, the people have a change, Hope to change their lives an those around them. That grows leadership, so one day, I would hope, real world change comes and stays.

      With fresh water on demand, world hunger will end.

      That is what I am selling to someone good and ready to act as soon as possible.

      I would like a salary so I can help with all the builds. A hands on for me would be great.
      Please help, be a part that changes the world TODAY.

      Sight unseen, what would it be worth to the world?

      Then, what would you be able to pay for it? If it is what I need, it will be yours.

      So, lets end this drought crisis as soon as we can.

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