Climate change cause of wars, Dutch general says

Syrian refugees from ISIS terrorism, AFP photo

General Middendorp: climate change threatens world peace

Today, 11:56

Climate change leads to conflicts and wars, to large refugee flows and feeds extremism. The whole conflict in the Middle East can be traced back to the climate changing at breakneck pace. Dutch Commander of the Armed Forces Tom Middendorp said this during a conference at the Peace Palace [in The Hague] that there can be no stability without there being climate security.

“Millions of people are or will be the victim of this,” he said. He pointed out that in the Arctic it is already 20 degrees warmer than what should be normal at this time of year. “Direct consequences are that there will be more storms and flooding. People, economies and even entire countries could be hit.”

According to the top general, all the tensions and wars now are caused by climate change. Drought in the Middle East has caused failed harvests and bread became too expensive. There is a shortage of electricity. Studies show that poverty in 2010 led to the Arab Spring and the subsequent unrest.

Also the situation in Syria, according to Middendorp, is due to climate change. Farmers moved to the city and millions of people were living in poverty. Young people without a future have joined ISIS and similar extremist groups. In refugee camps, there is a water shortage. “We see the greatest refugee crisis since World War II.”

Middendorp says the time has passed that climate change was a hobby for nature lovers, or “tree huggers.” “That I am telling you this here in uniform today says enough,” said Middendorp. People need to start thinking green, and there should be new ecosystems. “It is already underway, we can not ignore the signs,” said Middendorp.

Dear General Middendorp: the logical conclusion of your speech is that the billions and trillions of money for so-called ~~defence~~ wars, spending which Donald Trump in the USA, the European Union and the Dutch government now want to increase even more, should rather be spent on stopping climate change.

Also: the NATO regime change wars making tens of millions of people into refugees are also a major cause of climate change problems noted by General Middendorp. The fossil fuel guzzling United States armed forces are the worst polluters in the world. Similarly so for other armed forces.

That logical conclusion is lacking in this NOS report.

IIASA-led research has established a causal link between climate, conflict, and migration for the first time, something which has been widely suggested in the media but for which scientific evidence is scarce: here.