Climate change growing threat to peace

A few interesting political dynamics in the climate change crisis:


BERLIN (Reuters) - Climate change is a growing threat to world peace and has led to rival territorial claims in the Arctic that could turn into a Cold War, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday. Click: Steinmeier: climate change growing threat to peace.


The New York Sun - America is on a collision course with its close ally and northern neighbor, Canada, over who has access to the Northwest Passage, which has become open to sea traffic...

...Canada claims the passage as its own; America, backed by the Europeans and others, says it is open sea and therefore a freely navigable international waterway. Click: Strife Looms Between America, Canada Over Route.


THIRD WORLD TRAVELER - It's official: the era of resource wars is upon us. In a major London address, British Defense Secretary John Reid warned that global climate change and dwindling natural resources are combining to increase the likelihood of violent conflict over land, water and energy. Click: The Coming Resource Wars By Michael Klare


Foreign Policy - Corrupt, tyrannical governments—not changes in the Earth’s climate—will be to blame for the coming resource wars...

...Yes, climate change is a serious problem that must be addressed, and unchecked environmental degradation may lead to intensified competition over scarce resources in certain regions. The good news is that the future is not written in stone. How governments respond to the challenge is at least as important as climate change itself, if not more so...

...If the grimmest scenarios come to pass and environmental change contributes to war, human rights abuse, and even genocide, it will be reckless political leaders who deserve much of the blame. Click: The New Myth About Climate Change By Idean Salehyan