Nearly Two Dozen ‘Climate Change’ References Were Cut From Pentagon Report

A December 2016 Defense Department draft report referenced “climate change” 23 times, but the final version used “climate change” only once, according to The Washington Post. The original references to “climate change” were either deleted or changed to words like “extreme weather” and “climate.” It also changed the tone and “feeling of urgency” on the issue–particularly when discussing sea-level rise and sea-ice reduction, which is known to affect military sites near coasts. The newspaper was unable to confirm who made the changes, and a Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment. According to the Post, some military leaders view “a changing climate as a driver of instability worldwide,” but have strove to stay out of the “climate change” debate politically.