Pamela Berkowsky is former federal government official with expertise in disaster preparedness and response. She served in senior positions in the Pentagon, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Department of the Navy, and is president of Blue Sapphire Strategies, a boutique public affairs business consultancy. As a Senior Executive Defense Consultant to the South Florida Defense Alliance (https://www.southfloridadefensealliance.org/about-us-1), Pamela Berkowsky focuses on defense innovation and resiliency issues, including the impact of climate change on military installations, personnel and operations. She is a CLEO-Institute Certified Climate Communicator. Recognized by the Defense Department as a “threat multiplier,” climate change is now being formally integrated into all aspects of defense planning, strategy and budgeting. This is not a minor change. Although the National Defense Strategy has incorporated climate considerations since 2008, they were never fully considered a part of budget and force planning. The new Defense Climate Risk Analysis (DCRA) report, promulgated in October 2021, makes it clear that the challenges associated with climate change affect DOD missions, plans, equipment, capabilities, personnel, and infrastructure. Extreme weather impacts the military, with hurricanes significantly damaging North Carolina and Florida bases, and Norfolk Naval Base experiencing “sunny day" flooding. Wildfires driven by climate change are a growing concern for military installations in California, while “black flag” heat days, which prevent troops from training safely, are becoming more frequent. In an international context, climate change can also adversely impact U.S. allies, exacerbate existing global instabilities, and pose new challenges such as the retreating sea ice and permafrost thawing in the Arctic. This is ramping up U.S. geostrategic competition with Russia and China, with the latter country demonstrating a “Polar Silk Road” ambition. In the Indo-Pacific region, rising sea levels threaten Pacific Island nations, many of which house U.S. military bases and facilities, and potentially bring opportunities for China to assert dominance. The positive news is that the DOD is now working to integrate climate risk planning across all elements of the Department in ways that will have an immediate impact. And with the increased use of renewable energy assets, steps are being taken to ensure a future force that is green, climate resilient, and able to maintain target levels of readiness, training, and security cooperation with allies.

1. Defense Climate Risk Analysis Reflects
Profound Shift in Planning
Pamela Berkowsky

2. Introduction
Pamela Berkowsky is former federal government official with expertise in
disaster preparedness and response. She served in senior positions in the
Pentagon, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Department
of the Navy, and is president of Blue Sapphire Strategies, a boutique public
affairs business consultancy. As a Senior Executive Defense Consultant to the
South Florida Defense Alliance
(https://www.southfloridadefensealliance.org/about-us-1), Pamela Berkowsky
focuses on defense innovation and resiliency issues, including the impact of
climate change on military installations, personnel and operations. She is a
CLEO-Institute Certified Climate Communicator.

3. Recognized by the Defense Department as a “threat multiplier,” climate
change is now being formally integrated into all aspects of defense planning,
strategy and budgeting. This is not a minor change. Although the National
Defense Strategy has incorporated climate considerations since 2008, they
were never fully considered a part of budget and force planning. The new
Defense Climate Risk Analysis (DCRA) report, promulgated in October 2021,
makes it clear that the challenges associated with climate change affect
DOD missions, plans, equipment, capabilities, personnel, and infrastructure.

4. Extreme weather impacts the military, with hurricanes significantly
damaging North Carolina and Florida bases, and Norfolk Naval Base
experiencing “sunny day" flooding. Wildfires driven by climate change are a
growing concern for military installations in California, while “black flag”
heat days, which prevent troops from training safely, are becoming more
frequent. In an international context, climate change can also adversely
impact U.S. allies, exacerbate existing global instabilities, and pose new
challenges such as the retreating sea ice and permafrost thawing in the
Arctic. This is ramping up U.S. geostrategic competition with Russia and
China, with the latter country demonstrating a “Polar Silk Road” ambition.

5. In the Indo-Pacific region, rising sea levels threaten Pacific Island nations,
many of which house U.S. military bases and facilities, and potentially bring
opportunities for China to assert dominance. The positive news is that the
DOD is now working to integrate climate risk planning across all elements of
the Department in ways that will have an immediate impact. And with the
increased use of renewable energy assets, steps are being taken to ensure a
future force that is green, climate resilient, and able to maintain target
levels of readiness, training, and security cooperation with allies.