Climate change is defined as a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time. Climate change may refer to a change in average weather conditions, or in time variation of weather around longer-term average conditions resulting in more or fewer extreme weather events. It seems to me that every day when I watch the news I see droughts and rain storms leading to floods on a scale that has never been witnessed before.

Climate change is caused by factors such as variations in solar radiation received by the Earth, plate tectonics and volcanic eruptions. There are also certain human activities that have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, which are often referred to as global warming.

I’m not a scientist, but in the amount of time that I have been alive, I have noticed significant changes in the weather in New York City. The problem to finding a resolution to climate change, or global warming is that there is no consensus as to whether this weather phenomenon actually exists or not. If, however, the problem does exist are we equipped to handle the results?

If temperatures consistently rise and icecaps melt, the result is higher water levels. This is something that the U.S. military is already beginning to take into account. According to the LA Times, the Pentagon anticipates new strategies at home and abroad, particularly in regions that are more susceptible to changing temperatures and extreme weather events. The Pentagon has already begun assessing the effects that climate change will have on military bases in coastal regions.

When natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, or volcanic eruptions take place, the military is usually called on for assistance. Military engineering is loosely defined as the art and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and communications. Military engineers have been able to accomplish incredible feats that have saved millions of lives during natural disasters.

This week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, will meet with many of the world’s foremost military leaders in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas. Hagel has been on a six day trip through South America, talking with top leaders in Colombia, Chile and Peru, leading to today’s conference.

 Last week Hagel said, "When there is any natural disaster event that occurs, there always is some element of a security risk — law and order, individuals attempting to take advantage of those catastrophes, adjusting to shifts in security requirements."

Although Hagel’s statement does refer more to security issues, the point of the matter is that his comments show that the Pentagon is looking at climate change as a serious issue and one that needs to be addressed, so much so, that there will be new missions, such as monitoring the Artic Sea. The Pentagon also foresees it taking a more humanitarian role as climate changes have caused severe weather in countries with unstable governments and more importantly, shoddy infrastructures.

The military is now asserting that global warming "poses immediate risks to U.S. national security," a shift in thinking that has "very significant" implications for the Pentagon's work, said Francesco Femia, co-director of the Center for Climate & Security, a Washington think tank.

Perhaps this new sense of urgency stems from the fact that the military is already experiencing weather problems. Many of its bases and facilities, such as the Hampton Roads region in Virginia have had problems with recurrent flooding. This is where Langley Air Force Base and Naval Station Norfolk are located, meaning that this could effect a lot of military equipment.

According to a study for a nonprofit research and analysis organization in Arlington, VA called the CNA Corp, conducted by 11 retired generals and admirals, "The area has hundreds of miles of waterfront from three major rivers that all flow into the Chesapeake Bay. It is an extremely low-lying area, which makes it particularly susceptible to flooding from relative sea level rise — a combination of global sea level rise, land subsidence and ocean circulation." The study concluded that it estimates sea levels in the Hampton Roads area will rise around 1.5 feet within the next 50 years and by more than seven feet by the year 2100.

The Pentagon has not shared any information on what the cost for such projects as monitoring the Artic Sea would cost, there is a strong feeling by the military that planning is needed in order to avoid costs that could be significantly higher in the future is action is deferred. It is always more costly to react to an emergency than it is to be prepared.

The problem we still face is that many Republican lawmakers in Congress have attempted to block funding to the Pentagon for any attempt to address climate change. Some see the policy as a political ruse by President Obama and Democrats to address environmental issues. The fact of the matter is that if you open your eyes and see how much devastation there has been all across the U.S. between wildfires and flooded farmlands over the past few years, you know that this is a matter that does require consideration.