On February 6, the White House released its 2015 National Security Strategy, which is an overview of the principles and priorities for how the U.S. will advance its security and that of its partners. The strategy cites several top strategic risks to U.S. interests, ranging from terrorism and attacks on Americans and allies abroad to climate change, economic crises, global disease outbreaks, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The threat of catastrophic terrorist attacks, the strategy notes, “has diminished but still persists.” Among the strategies to fight terrorism are targeted counterterrorism operations and increased efforts to prevent the growth of violent extremism.
As with the other threats, climate change is being addressed by the federal government domestically and internationally. Speaking to international impacts of climate change, the strategy reads “Climate change is an urgent and growing threat to our national security, contributing to increased natural disasters, refugee flows, and conflicts over basic resources like food and water.” The U.S. is leading efforts “with the international community to confront this challenge”, the document says. To address climate change domestically, the White House says it is “partnering with states and local communities to better plan for, absorb, recover from, and adapt to adverse events brought about by the compounding effects of climate change.”
The strategies to address other threats cited by the White House include strengthening national defense and homeland security, increasing energy security, improving global health security, increasing prosperity, advancing equality, promoting democratic values and assisting impoverished, peaceful nations.