The Navy and Climate Change

Interesting observations over at the CNAS Natural Security Blog.

Any audience member who may have been skeptical about how seriously the Navy is taking climate change probably had their fears allayed by RADM Titley’s statement that “we in the very top of the Navy believe that climate change is real and is having big impacts on the Navy.” Titley explained that much of the Navy’s concern about climate change is not about climate models theorizing what may happen in the future, but the very real changes that they are seeing in the Earth’s oceans and the Arctic. As global temperatures rise, the Arctic is warming 2 times faster than the rest of the world and Arctic sea extent continues to melt and thin from year to year.

Titley asserted that increasing Arctic activity is the aspect of climate change that will have the biggest impact on Navy operations, emphasizing that by the middle of the century, a significant volume of trans-Arctic shipment will probably be the norm, and that the Bering Strait “could have similar significance as the Strait of Hormuz” today in terms of hydrocarbon shipping. He also noted that the QDR describes climate change as an accelerant of future conflict. The Navy is taking these threats seriously, engaging at the top in developing energy use reduction goals. Titley also emphasized Arctic exercises and Port visits, regional security cooperation and careful environmental observation and prediction as important tools of adapting to the effects of climate change.

And an important item from Jan 5, 2011.

Todd Shipyards Corp. said Wednesday it received a $16 million contract modification from the U.S. Coast Guard for work on the icebreaker ship USCGC Polar Star, which is being reactivated.

Todd said the contract is in support of the reactivation of the Polar Star, which is designed to move through ice covered waters and can break through up to 21 feet of ice. The ship was commissioned in 1976 and placed on special caretaker status in June 2006. The Coast Guard plans to reactivate the Polar Star by 2013 and announced last year that Todd Pacific would retrofit the ship.

FYI the USCG has three icebreakers, none of which are currently operational. If the maritime services are serious about climate change, the nation needs more icebreakers.

Should we even bother with this Danger Room article? Who wants to talk about ice capabilities of the Virginia class, or is that subject taboo...