The interrelation of climate change and national security

The Korea Meteorological Administration reported that 2024 was the hottest since modern meteorological observations started in 1973, setting a series of alarming new records. Korea’s national average temperature soared to approximately 3 degrees Celsius above normal starting in April. The summer was marked by 20 tropical nights — a stark triple the average — while 15 autumn typhoons caused extensive damage, and heavy snow and torrential rain battered the peninsula in November. Unsettling trends continue this year, with a sweltering heat wave approaching 40 degrees Celsius, followed by flash floods from torrential rains of up to 400 millimeters. In July alone, a staggering 23 consecutive tropical nights surpassed last year’s record. This volatile pattern of extreme weather shows that economic damage and social instability are deeply intertwined with national security. This perspective is supported by a report titled “The National Security Rationale for Japan’s Transition to Renewable Energy,” published in May by the Council on Strategic Risks, an American nonprofit securityWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times