Voices of concern are increasingly discussing the likelihood of conflict breaking out across the world due to escalating climate change. However, although there are good grounds for pessimism, we could see this as a problem which, although severe and challenging, faces us with a choice – do we respond with foresight, pooling skills and knowledge, planning, reorganising our systems and societies, working together, or by allowing events to unfold whilst we continue ‘looking the other way’ and panicking, reacting blindly, acting by ‘damage limitation’ on an ad-hoc basis…?
Our earth’s environmental crisis will almost certainly be the driver of any future wars – directly or indirectly.
This section intends to cover a range of voices seeking to explore the nature of the problem – and the choices we face.
Climate Change and Military Conflict
The speaker at our AGM in 2008, Dr Stuart Parkinson, sets the scene with his presentation Climate Change and Military Conflict. Stuart is the Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, whose website (sgr.org.uk) contains a wide range of material you may find useful in addressing this issue.
