Climate Change: Considerations for Geographic Combatant Commands PKSOI Paper | Page 14

government” unity of effort approach that maximizes
the contribution of each agency working under their
specific programmatic mandates. SOUTHCOM’s IA
construct follows the President’s specific guidance to
“seek an enhanced level of interagency cooperation in
complex security environments by … common analysis, planning, and programs that draw upon the distinct perspectives and expertise of different U.S. agencies.”11 SOUTHCOM’s coordination with USAID’s
Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
should be informed by knowledge of the central role
of climate change within the LAC Bureau’s mission
statement.12 USAID will also bring inputs from its
partnerships with private voluntary organizations,
indigenous organizations, universities, and American
businesses.13 In assessing and later responding to climate change risks, SOUTHCOM can build upon the
IA partnerships developed during on-going efforts to
counter transnational organized crime and past humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) responses to ensure a “whole of government” approach
to climate change adaptation.14
“Where” to Focus Climate Change Adaptation
Efforts
In the opening epigraph above, the CJCS instructs
the Joint Force to operate in “the right places.” In his
2013 Presidential Policy Directive 21: Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (PPD-21), the President
tells DoD and ot