[CPEO-MEF] Defense bill climate change language

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

On Monday, October 1, the Senate passed H.R. 1585, the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2008. It included Section 951, 
language addressing climate change and national security. The language 
appears to be identical with language the House of Representatives 
approved in May.

To view the original, go to http://loc.thomas.gov and do a search for 
H.R. 1585.

Lenny

***

H.R.1585
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

SEC. 951. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONSIDERATION OF EFFECT OF CLIMATE 
CHANGE ON DEPARTMENT FACILITIES, CAPABILITIES, AND MISSIONS.

      Section 118 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:

      `(g) Consideration of Effect of Climate Change on Department 
Facilities, Capabilities, and Missions- (1) The first national security 
strategy and national defense strategy prepared after the date of the 
enactment of this subsection shall include guidance for military planners--

            `(A) to assess the risks of projected climate change to 
current and future missions of the armed forces;

            `(B) to update defense plans based on these assessments, 
including working with allies and partners to incorporate climate 
mitigation strategies, capacity building, and relevant research and 
development; and

            `(C) to develop the capabilities needed to reduce future 
impacts.

      `(2) The first quadrennial defense review prepared after the date 
of the enactment of this subsection shall also examine the capabilities 
of the armed forces to respond to the consequences of climate change, in 
particular, preparedness for natural disasters from extreme weather 
events and other missions the armed forces may be asked to support 
inside the United States and overseas.

      `(3) For planning purposes to comply with the requirements of 
this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall use--

            `(A) the mid-range projections of the fourth assessment 
report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change;

            `(B) subsequent mid-range consensus climate projections if 
more recent information is available when the next national security 
strategy, national defense strategy, or quadrennial defense review, as 
the case may be, is conducted; and

            `(C) findings of appropriate and available estimations or 
studies of the anticipated strategic, social, political, and economic 
effects of global climate change and the implications of such effects on 
the national security of the United States.

      `(4) In this subsection, the term `national security strategy' 
means the annual national security strategy report of the President 
under section 108 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404a).'.

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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