Congress Continues to Affirm that Climate Security Is National Security

Jan 5, 2021 | Shana Udvardy
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Last week Congress voted to override the president’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), enacting H.R. 6395, the “William M. (Mac) Thornberry” NDAA for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The FY21 NDAA marks the fourth year in a row in which both sides of the aisle have come together to pass climate change provisions in the NDAA, the annual legislative vehicle for a broad range of defense policies.

This year felt like no other, not least due to how the impacts of climate change showed up in our daily lives and exacerbated the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, among other stressors. For many, it may have seemed like a year-long, climate change bootcamp – challenging us physically, mentally and emotionally but without the adequate tools to ensure we were prepared, ready, and resilient.

With the enactment of the FY21 NDAA, Congress again demonstrates bipartisan support for increasing the military’s readiness to a climate change-fueled future. The bill has four main provisions that will strengthen the Department of Defense’s (DOD) resilience to climate change related impacts.