DeSantis On Global Warming: Either Pure Ignorance Or Deliberate Choice To Own Libs/Energize Rubes

[hatrack]

EDIT

While railing against the undefined term of “woke,” he also stated that global warming was not a Defense issue. Specifically, in that interview DeSantis stated, “But when revered institutions like those in our military are more concerned with matters not central to the mission, whether it’s global warming or gender ideology and pronouns, morale declines and recruiting suffers.” In reality, climate change is an existential threat to DoD and the country, and a driving factor for the potential engagements that DoD is facing around the world today. Those issue will intensify in the years and decades to come.

To the credit of the DOD, many military analysts have already recognized the seriousness of the issues and begun planning for a long list of contingencies. In 2014 the DoD released a significant report addressing climate change as a national security issue. At that time, then-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel told our allies, “The loss of glaciers will strain water supplies in several areas of our hemisphere.” Further, he stated, “Destruction and devastation from hurricanes can sow the seeds for instability. Droughts and crop failures can leave millions of people without any lifeline, and trigger waves of mass migration.” Since then, nearly every SECDEF has commented on the national security implications of climate change. Yet DeSantis claims it is not central to the mission of the DoD.

Republicans continually complain about the security of our southern border with Mexico. While there are many reasons for migration from the south, the effects of climate change are important factors. As the Council on Foreign Relations noted in a study titled Climate Change and Regional Instability in Central America, “In addition to extreme weather events, irregular precipitation patterns, deforestation, and high temperatures increasingly contribute to upended livelihoods and rampant food insecurity. From 2018 to 2021, the number of people going hungry in Central America nearly quadrupled, topping out at close to eight million.” But in a display of stunning ignorance, Ron DeSantis does not acknowledge the national security implications of climate change, stating it is not a core mission of the DoD.

EDIT

Homestead Air Force Base is located in Dade County. Posted on the United States, Department of Defense, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI) website it is noted that, “sea level rise and an increase in storm surge magnitude and storm event frequency due to climate change threaten Homestead ARB’s mission capabilities because of the increased probability for potential damages or flooding which may delay or halt mission activities.” Certainly, those are issues for DoD to consider as part of their core mission. It seems DeSantis is oblivious to the impact of climate change in the state he now governs. How then can he be expected to respond to these serious, if not existential issues on a national level?

EDIT

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/26/2171642/-Ron-DeSantis-Stunningly-Ignorant

[MutantAndProud]

1. But if they don't let them flood and erode from climate

How else will they surrender the country to Putin

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. In wingnut fantasy-land, The Mission is always to kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out (nt)