Current and former members of the military want to talk about how climate change could be threatening national security.
A public meeting in Fayetteville tonight will include discussions about evidence linking climate change to a rising risk of stronger natural disasters. Spring Lake mayor Chris Rey is one of the speakers at the meeting and a former Army captain. He says storms that cause widespread damage divert military resources, leaving the impacted areas more vulnerable.
“There's only but so many men and women in uniform," Rey says.
"So you have a military operation that may still be going on in that country that has to still be dealt with, but at the same time you also have to now cover down on this new area that's been hit by a storm."
Rey supports the military's efforts to use more solar powered equipment on the battlefield. A report released last week from the Federal Emergency Management Agency says climate change is a major factor in the rising risk of floods as the sea level rises.
