In her book talk on Threat Multiplier: Climate, Military Leadership, and the Fight for Global Security, Sherri Goodman offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the U.S. military has evolved to confront climate change as a critical national security threat. Drawing on over three decades of experience, Goodman recounts her journey from being the Pentagon’s first Chief Environmental Officer to becoming a leading voice in climate security – currently serving as the Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS). She illustrates how climate change amplifies global instability, exacerbating challenges such as resource scarcity, migration, and geopolitical tensions. Goodman highlights the military's proactive steps, including integrating climate considerations into war games, disaster response planning, and base design. Her talk underscores the imperative for military leadership and international cooperation in addressing the risks posed by an increasingly warming planet.
Sherri Goodman, Senior Fellow at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program and Polar Institute, and Secretary General of the International Military Council on Climate & Security, is credited with educating a generation of US military and government officials about the nexus between energy, climate change and national security, using her famous coinage, “threat multiplier,” to fundamentally reshape the national discourse on the topic. A former first Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Environmental Security) and staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Goodman has founded, led, or advised nearly a dozen research organizations on environmental and energy matters, national security, and public policy. Her new book, Threat Multiplier: Climate Change, the Military and Fight for Global Security was published in 2024.
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