Climate Change and the National Defense Authorization Act

The briefing outlines how the US Congress used the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) between 2017 and 2019 to address climate change as a national security threat. Key actions include mandating resilience plans for military installations, updating construction codes to account for sea-level rise and permafrost thaw, increasing Arctic strategic capabilities, and establishing a Climate and Security Council within the Intelligence Community.

• The FY18 NDAA established that climate change is a direct threat to the national security of the United States and affects stability in current and future conflict areas. It also required the Department of Defense (DoD) to identify the ten most vulnerable installations per service, though the DoD initially responded with a general report rather than a prioritized list.
• Legislation from 2018 and 2019 focused on military installation resilience by updating construction requirements. This includes requiring new projects in 100-year floodplains to be designed 2 to 3 feet above base flood elevation, incorporating changing environmental conditions into Unified Facilities Criteria, and extending floodplain construction restrictions to cover projected sea level rise.
• The US has increased its strategic focus on the warming Arctic, including requiring an updated Arctic Strategy, incorporating China's Arctic activities into a Strategy on China, and authorizing the procurement of six new Coast Guard icebreakers. Specific infrastructure issues include permafrost thaw causing damage to an F-35 munitions maintenance facility at Eielson AFB, AK, leading to a requirement for a broader assessment of structures in permafrost regions.
• The FY20 NDAA introduced several tools and organizational structures to manage climate risk, including the creation of a Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Tool, the mandatory use of the Navy’s Climate Change Installation Adaptation and Resilience planning handbook across the DoD, and the establishment of a Climate and Security Council within the Intelligence Community.
• Specific funding has been allocated for climate resilience, such as $49 million to raise floodwalls at the Portsmouth (VA) Naval Shipyard and $150 million for the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (n.d.). Climate Change and the National Defense Authorization Act. https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/climate-change-and-the-national-defense-authorization-act-2017-2019_backgrounder_2020_6.pdf

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. Climate Change and the National Defense Authorization Act. n.d. https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/climate-change-and-the-national-defense-authorization-act-2017-2019_backgrounder_2020_6.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=Climate Change and the National Defense Authorization Act |url=https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/climate-change-and-the-national-defense-authorization-act-2017-2019_backgrounder_2020_6.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisksndclimate, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{Climate Change and the National Defense Authorization Act}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, url = {https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/climate-change-and-the-national-defense-authorization-act-2017-2019_backgrounder_2020_6.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }