Stepping up his war on global warming and bolstering the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to put new restrictions on coal-fired energy plants, President Obama Wednesday issued a new report warning that the phenomenon can cause allergies, asthma and foster terrorism.
The report lists at least 34 effects of climate change, a doomsday scenario of health, security, economic and political issues.
“Climate change is contributing to extreme weather, wildfires, and drought, and that rising temperatures can lead to more smog and more allergens in the air we breathe, meaning more kids are exposed to the triggers that can cause asthma attacks,” said the White House.
The report was issued in advance of the president’s trip Wednesday to New London, Conn., to deliver the commencement address at the United States Coast Guard Academy. It stresses the need to reduce global warming to help reduce national security risks.
It also comes in advance of the EPA’s new push to cut carbon in the air. The White House said, “We also need to decrease the harmful carbon pollution that causes climate change. That is why, this summer, the EPA will put in place commonsense standards to reduce carbon pollution from power plants, the largest source in the United States.”
The highlights from “Findings from Select Federal Reports: THE NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF A CHANGING CLIMATE.”
With climate change, certain types of extreme weather events and their impacts, including extreme heat, heavy downpours, floods, and droughts, have become more frequent and/or intense. In addition, warming is causing sea level to rise and glaciers and Arctic sea ice to melt.
These and other aspects of climate change are disrupting people’s lives and damaging certain sectors of the economy. The national security implications of climate change impacts are far reaching, as they may exacerbate existing stressors, contributing to poverty, environmental degradation, and political instability, providing enabling environments for terrorist activity abroad. For example, the impacts of climate change on key economic sectors, such as agriculture and water, can have profound effects on food security, posing threats to overall stability.
