TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01This has already created a brain drain that impairs the ability of developing countries toparticipate in the global economic and political arenas as skilled individuals migrate to wherejobs are available. While some regions and nations – notably India – have been able to slow thistrend, it remains a global issue. The educational gap between those with access to IT and thosewithout is growing rapidly. Today’s have nots are in danger of remaining in this statuspermanently. While the number of advanced degrees issued worldwide is rapidly increasing, theglobal illiteracy rate—currently established 18 percent—is likely to rise. 26Environmental Issues and Climate ChangeThe interaction of humans with the physical environment inevitably creates a tension betweenthe needs of society and the health of the environment. Existing trends can exacerbate thesetensions in the future environment. Environmental issues continuing into and intensifying in thefuture include climate change, resources depletion, and pollution.The Earth’s climate is the macro-component of the physical environment. By 2100, climatechange could significantly alter the planet. 27 Many attribute the warming observed over the last50 years to human activities. If atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to rise,average global temperatures and sea levels will rise as a result, and precipitation patterns willchange. The predicted effects of climate change over the coming decades include extremeweather events, drought, flooding, sea-level rise, retreating glaciers, habitat shifts, and theincreased spread of life-threatening diseases. The most drastic effects (flooding, drought) willaffect traditionally unstable parts of the world. This will have a twofold impact compelling muchof the population to migrate to more stable areas, thus requiring increasing international supportto large populations in affected regions.The stress of natural disasters can exacerbate tensions among ethnic, religious populationsgrowing in marginal, resource constrained areas, significantly increasing instability of failed orfailing nation states. Conversely, a major natural disaster such as the tsunami that devastatedwide areas of the Indian Ocean basin in 2005 could unite nations and enhance the U.S. reputationas a willing crisis respondent. In Indonesia, for example, the Free Aceh rebel movement lostmomentum in the struggle to survive the results of the tsunami. 28 The significance of climatechange cannot be underestimated. Unlike most conventional security threats characterized by asingle entity acting in specific ways and points in time, climate change has the potential to resultin multiple chronic conditions occurring globally. The resultant combined effects can intensifythe chances of instability and persistent conflict.Humans are consuming the world’s natural resources at an alarming rate. While access to oil,gas, and minerals has a great impact on the world’s economic well-being, fresh water sustains lifeand has no substitute for humans, animals, or plants. (See fig 2-1 for the demographic stressfactors.) Fresh water is a zero sum game; increasing population and increasing demand lead towater scarcity. Population is increasing most rapidly in the underdeveloped regions, where theamount of water required to produce vegetable-based diets is one third of that needed for meatbaseddiets in the richest regions (600 cubic meters per person per year, vice 1,800 cubic metersper person per year). 29 Given current trends, by the year 2025, 230 million Africans may nothave ready access to fresh water. By 2025, there will be over 50 water-stressed countries. 30 This35