Subscribe now

The climate-change nightmares of military strategists

By Fred Pearce

7 April 2010

WHEN a climate scientist forecasts that global warming will trigger mega-famines, floods of refugees and geopolitical meltdown, we may fear that they have a myopic world view. When a security specialist says the same thing, we should start to wonder. Gwynne Dyer has been a lecturer on international affairs for two decades. In Climate Wars he eloquently explores the “grim detail” of how governments will grapple with a challenge unprecedented since before there were governments.

You won’t find this stuff in any IPCC report. In particular, Dyer offers eight scenarios of climate-induced human catastrophe over the next half century that draw on war games developed in…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

More from New Scientist

Explore the latest news, articles and features

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop