F e b rua ry 1 national secur it y

NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
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Confront Climate Change
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 present day 
effects of climate change are being felt from the Arctic to the Midwest. Increased sea levels and storm 
surges threaten coastal regions, infrastructure, and property. In turn, the global economy suffers, com-
pounding the growing costs of preparing and restoring infrastructure. 
America is leading efforts at home and with the international community to confront this challenge. 
Over the last 6 years, U.S. emissions have declined by a larger total magnitude than those of any other 
country. Through our Climate Action Plan and related executive actions, we will go further with a goal 
of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent of 2005 levels by 2025. Working with U.S. 
states and private utilities, we will set the first-ever standards to cut the amount of carbon pollution our 
power plants emit into the air. We are also working to strengthen resilience and address vulnerabilities 
to climate impacts.
These domestic efforts contribute to our international leadership. Building on the progress made in 
Copenhagen and in ensuing negotiations, we are working toward an ambitious new global climate 
change agreement to shape standards for prevention, preparedness, and response over the next decade. 
As the world’s two largest emitters, the United States and China reached a landmark agreement to take 
significant action to reduce carbon pollution. The substantial contribution we have pledged to the Green 
Climate Fund will help the most vulnerable developing nations deal with climate change, reduce their 
carbon pollution, and invest in clean energy. More than 100 countries have also joined with us to reduce 
greenhouse gases under the Montreal Protocol—the same agreement the world used successfully to 
phase out ozone-depleting chemicals. We are partnering with African entrepreneurs to launch clean 
energy projects and helping farmers practice climate-smart agriculture and plant more durable crops. 
We are also driving collective action to reduce methane emissions from pipelines and to launch a free 
trade agreement for environmental goods.