On October 19, Center for Climate and Security Director Erin Sikorsky spoke to a public meeting of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on the intersection of climate change and national security. Her remarks highlighted the importance of close collaboration between the US scientific community and the US national security community on…
What a week for climate security! In his inaugural address on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said, “The cry for survival comes from the planet itself,” acknowledged the “climate is in crisis,” and promised “we will be judged…by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era.” Not long after he was sworn in, President Biden…
By Christine Parthemore and Andy Weber The COVID-19 pandemic continues to prove that infectious diseases can devastate the United States and the world—killing and sickening millions, disrupting lives, crippling economies, and significantly affecting dynamics among nations. The pandemic also foreshadows the potentially destructive power of biological weapons. Indeed, there is growing concern that the horrific effects…
By Christine Parthemore President-elect Biden has spoken eloquently about the paramount importance of U.S. alliances in how the nation pursues security and stability. Given the number of allies under the umbrella of U.S. extended nuclear deterrence, American nuclear weapons policies and plans must be coordinated closely with these countries. When I left the Pentagon in…
By John Conger Every Administration makes changes to the draft budget they receive before it is submitted to Congress, and there’s every reason to expect that to be the case with a President Biden. The budget is supposed to be submitted by the first Monday in February, but that deadline is rarely met. Incoming Presidents…
By Christine Parthemore and Andy Weber Just as the administration of President-elect Joseph Biden will need to take urgent action to control the worsening COVID-19 pandemic and proactively address the security risks of climate change, it will need to take on the significant challenge of reducing rising nuclear threats. In October, we recommended in War…
Washington, DC, October 20, 2020 – Today, the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) released important new policy recommendations: “Confronting Systemic Security Risks: Proposals for the Next U.S. Administration.” The briefer offers policy ideas for consideration by the national security leaders of the next Presidential Administration, and covers three important areas of global strategic risk: biological…