Climate change in India will severely impact Security risk for the US, says a report

“India and  China, are at the centre of such climate change-induced security risks to the US, and both will play critical roles in determining the trajectory of temperature rise”, the report says

The adverse effects of climate change on India, together with similar impacts on 10 other countries, four of these in South Asia, could increase risks to American national security interests, a US intelligence report says. 

According to the US National Intelligence Council these risks “will increase as countries respond to the intensifying physical effects of climate change.
“India and  China, are at the centre of such climate change-induced security risks to the US, and both will play critical roles in determining the trajectory of temperature rise”, the report says

As a result, geopolitical tensions are likely to grow as countries increasingly argue about how to cut down reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions. 

While China has not been clear in its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions, India, the US intelligence report says “almost certainly will increase its emissions as it develops economically. Indian officials have not committed to a net-zero target date and have instead called on countries with larger economies to reduce emissions.”

The first of its kind report, the “National Intelligence Estimate – Climate Change and International Responses Increasing Challenges to US National Security Through 2040”, also points to possible transboundary tensions for India with Pakistan over what it called ‘water insecurities’. 

Pakistan, the report says, “relies on downstream surface water from heavily glacier-fed rivers originating in India for much of its irrigation,” and also relies on Indian data on river discharges to provide flood warnings in that country.

The report also indicates the possibility of large human migration from Bangladesh into India as coastal flooding increases due to rising sea levels.

The countries whose conditions change as a consequence of climate change that the US should consider as possible security concerns are Afghanistan, Burma, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia and Iraq.

************************************************************************

Readers

These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.

Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world.  We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.

Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.

In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.

For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com