Speech story

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In heavily populated areas of the globe, where resources are already stretched to their limit, a sudden decrease in water or food supply could be devastating. The United States military must worry about how the environment can impact national security. “No scientific organization worldwide disagrees that climate change is a problem. We are the cause, we need to change immediately,” said John T. Ackerman, speaking about Environmental Security at the Office of Sustainability’s first green lunch of the spring semester on Jan. 27 in the Student Center. Ackerman defined environmental security as a condition where environmental goods and services, like water, air, land or fisheries, are used at a sustainable rate. His speech covered topics of biodiversity, climate change, and environmental degradation and how it affects daily life and national security. He painted a grim picture of the world if the environment isn’t improved. Environmental degradation will cause Africa to become a failed continent and could decrease the global gross domestic product between 5 and 20 percent. A conflict over the arctic is impending, as seven countries all claim different portions of the area, which is rich in natural resources. “Technology is the best answer to the problem at hand,” said Ackerman. He says that development of technology to slow, stop or repair the damage humans have done to the environment is the best way to protect national security. The Department of Defense is now working to respond to these concerns, signing international treaties to alleviate debts owed by countries that are willing to put in place environmentally sustainable practices.


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