DoD Directive On Climate Change

I wonder how (or indeed if) my friends on the Tribune-Review editorial board will explain this one.

From the Federation of American Scientists:

The Department of Defense is organizing itself to address the effects of climate change on the U.S. military, some of which are already being felt.

“The DoD must be able to adapt current and future operations to address the impacts of climate change in order to maintain an effective and efficient U.S. military,” according to a Pentagon directive that was issued last week. See Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, DoD Directive 4715.21, January 14, 2016.

Go take a look at that link.

In this section on "Purpose" we read:

In accordance with the direction in Executive Order 13653, this issuance establishes policy and assigns responsibilities to provide the DoD with the resources necessary to assess and manage risks associated with the impacts of climate change.

You can find that executive order here.

Back to the DoD Directive.  After that intro, there's a lot (a lot!) of stuff about who's in charge of what, who sets up what and so on.  For instance there'll be an "Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness" who will:

[Identify and consider] the risks climate change poses to logistics infrastructure, materiel acquisition and supply (including critical suppliers and critical components), key transportation modes and routes, and storage and stockpile activities.

But if it's a hoax, then isn't this all a waste of time and money?  But if that's true (it's a waste of time/money), then isn't the Pentagon in on The Greatest Hoax?

Apparently they've been hoaxing for some time.

July 2015, DoD report to Congress:

The Department of Defense sees climate change as a present security threat , not strictly a long -term risk. We are already observing the impacts of climate change in shocks and stressors to vulnerable nations and communities, including in the United States, and in the Arctic, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America.

2104 - Quadrennial Defense Review:

Climate change poses another significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accelerating. These changes, coupled with other global dynamics, including growing, urbanizing , more affluent populations, and substantial economic growth in India, China, Brazil, and other nations, will devastate homes, land, and infrastructure. Climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs. The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, an d governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence.

And that's from The Pentagon.

So either the conspiracy is so big it's sucked in the largest military on the planet.

Or it's true.

Any thoughts from the Tribune-Review editorial board?  I know you guys read this page.