American Security Project – Sunjoo Hwang – 2023
Goals
Climate change adversely affects all sectors of society, including military personnel, operations, and missions. The U.S. Department of Defense has identified climate change as a national security issue and developed a variety of plans and policies.
As such, the main objectives of this fellowship were to analyze climate change and sustainability through the lens of national security and to identify best practices and policy remedies for transitioning defense fleets to zero-emission vehicles.
Solutions
Hwang achieved the goals via research and analysis in three focus areas:
- Extreme weather events: Analyzed the impacts of wildfires on air quality, climate change, public health, and national security, both for the civilian and defense sectors. Addressed the importance of consistent and consorted emergency protocols and climate change mitigation plans.
- Energy security and resilience: Researched climate change-induced power disruptions in the U.S. and demonstrated the risk of heavy reliance on fossil fuels, both for the civilian and defense sectors.
- Zero-emission vehicles: Conducted policy research and case studies for fostering zero-emission vehicle fleets, with particular attention to military vehicle emissions and Department of Defense fleets.
Potential Impact
ASP is a non-partisan think tank dedicated to educating the general public about the dynamic nature of national security amid intensifying climate change. The organization has committed to leading efforts to identify climate and energy security issues across the U.S. and partner nation stakeholders.
Through various written products, Hwang has helped ASP continue its lines of effort in elevating public awareness and national conversation about climate change and national security.
