U.S. Military Measures Climate Change

Intelligence Establishment Calling It a Major Security Problem

Last April, Congress directed the National Intelligence Council to issue the first ever National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on climate change. Expected to be completed in May, the NIE is a comprehensive analysis of national security threats prepared in concert by all 16 branches of the federal intelligence and military establishment. How much if any of the report will be released to the public is unknown.

Though Congressional Republicans opposed it, the commissioning of the NIE was supported by prominent members of the military and intelligence communities, including high-level officials appointed by President Bush. In a letter leaked to the Washington Post, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell wrote that it was


The climate NIE is the most visible evidence of growing concern in the defense and intelligence communities about global warming