President Barack Obama has signed a memorandum that requires government agencies to consider the effects of climate change in the development and implementation of national security policies and plans.
The memorandum aims to establish a system that will integrate climate science data and insights into national security policymaking functions, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Senior Advisor Brian Deese wrote in a blog post published Wednesday.
Rice and Deese said the memorandum requires 20 agencies to form a working group that will identify U.S. national security priorities related to climate change.
The 20 agencies will also create a climate change and national security action plan to aid information sharing on climate change risks, the blog post stated.
The memorandum also directs agencies to develop strategies to address climate-related threats such as impacts on economy, food security and the flow of migrants and refugees.
The National Intelligence Council also released a report that stated climate change could pose national security challenges for the U.S. in the next two decades.
The report showed that climate change will continue to threaten the stability of countries, social and political climate, health, food security and economic growth.
