In an era increasingly defined by climate change, the United States and China stand out as the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases—but neither country is immune to its impacts. China, home to nearly 20% of the world’s population and 6.5% of the Earth’s land surface, faces a number of climate security challenges. A recent report published by the Center for Climate and Security identified three categories of risk: (1) direct risks to military and critical infrastructure; (2) compounding risks to internal political stability as climate change threatens food and water security; and (3) external risks as competition over shared resources is heightened and China contends with the impacts of climate on its more vulnerable neighbors.
![The American flag flutters on the car waiting to transport U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry after his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the Purple Light Pavilion in Beijing, China, on April 13, 2013. [State Department photo by Alison Anzalone/ Public Domain]](https://i0.wp.com/councilonstrategicrisks.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/8644267001_fc861116b3_o.jpg?resize=800%2C420&ssl=1)
