Climate Change: Considerations for Geographic Combatant Commands PKSOI Paper | Page 12

will detail “who” comprises the partners necessary in
addressing climate change, “where” to address climate
change, “what” the scientific community defines as the
risks of climate change—the GCC’s “problem statement”—followed by recommendations for “how” a
GCC and its partners can address climate change, concluding with discussion of “why” these efforts matter
in the context of a GCC’s primary security mandate.
GCC’s Partners in Addressing Climate Change
GCCs will do well to consider the CJCS’s citation
above to work with “the right partners” as they consider the risks associated with climate change. DoD’s
partners will include both the nations facing climate
change risks to their security and stability and the interagency (IA) community. It is important for GCCs to
consider the President’s charge for collaboration between DoD, Department of State (DoS) and USAID in
approaching defense, diplomacy and development—
the 3 D’s—as mutually reinforcing elements of the
U.S. Government’s (USG’s) comprehensive approach
to national security.7 GCCs need to work closely with
DoS and USAID to explore the range of whole-ofgovernment mechanisms that can add value to their
overall theater security campaign plan. To successfully achieve unity of effort between the USG’s 3 D’s,
GCC’s must understand the importance of climate
change within USAID’s programs. “Climate Change”
is USAID’s #2 Agency Priority Goal and the Global
Climate Change Initiative (GCCI) is one of three signature initiatives of the Agency.8 Collaboration with
USAID in approaching the complex problem of assessing climate change impacts will also ensure that a
GCC supports several of the pillars of the President’s
Global Development Policy:9
3