Abstracts are due by 14 August 2025 at 5:00 PM ET
Abstract Fee and Author Instructions
All presenters must also register for the meeting.
The Third Symposium on Environmental Security is sponsored by the American Meteorological Society and organized by the AMS Committee on Environmental Security.
Since the beginning of mankind, societies have relied on the environment to provide essential resources, such as food, water, shelter and medicine, to sustain life, provide services and economic opportunities and achieve sustainable development. However, threats to the environment, including the impacts of extreme weather and climate change, pollution, land degradation and biodiversity loss, among others, can affect the well-being of societies, potentially leading to insecurity, instability and conflict. The Third Symposium on Environmental Security will highlight the complex relationships between the environment and the societies that depend on it as well as the role of the AMS community in advancing the science, technology and decision-support tools to achieve secure, sustainable and prosperous societies
We particularly encourage submissions to the following themed sessions:
Addressing Global Food Security in a Rapidly Changing World
Food security is a key pillar of environmental security and lies at the heart of human well-being and prosperity. However, achieving food security remains one of the world’s greatest challenges as the global food system is increasingly threatened by extreme weather and climate anomalies, which affect the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food production and delivery, while also a major driver of environmental change as a significant source of global greenhouse gases. As a result, achieving global food security will require both advances in science and technology as well as strategic, collaborative and logical thinking. This session welcomes submissions on, but not limited to the following:
National and Human Security Aspects of Water Resources
Weather extremes are increasing in frequency, causing outsized hydrologic impacts worldwide. This, along with population growth and populations moving into more risk-prone areas, makes the security risks associated with too little or too much water more immediate, complex, and consequential. Water-related extremes (e.g., drought, flooding) affect everything from military readiness and border stability, to food systems and public health. This session will explore how both immediate responses and careful, deliberate science-based planning efforts shape our ability to manage the national and human security dimensions of water in an era of rapid change. Additionally, this session emphasizes the role of human cognition, communication, and coordination in managing water security challenges and highlights how data, science, and technology must be paired with thoughtful, inclusive decision-making to build resilience across scales. We encourage abstracts from atmospheric and climate scientists, hydrologists, emergency managers, social scientists, and public policy experts that address:
Energy Security As Affected by Extreme Weather Events and Climatic Anomalies
Energy is central to daily life and the economy, powering homes, businesses, transportation and other essential services. As a result, it is a crucial component of national, human and environmental security, underpinning geopolitics and societal well-being. However, the energy sector is also a major contributor to climate change and is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather events and climate anomalies. These impacts threaten energy security - a key pillar of environmental security that refers to the uninterrupted availability of energy sources that are affordable, reliable, and accessible. This session will explore, for example, the impacts of extreme weather and climate anomalies on energy security, resulting geopolitical and socioeconomic effects, and adaptation across the energy sector to enhance resilience to extreme weather and climate anomalies.
Weather Extremes as a National Security Risk
Studies in weather extremes are crucial for national security as they help identify and mitigate risks related to resource scarcity, such as water and food shortages, which can fuel conflict and instability. Rising sea levels and high-impact weather events threaten critical infrastructure, military bases, and supply chains. These studies also inform strategic planning for disaster response and humanitarian aid domestically and abroad. Additionally, understanding these impacts enables governments to anticipate and manage environmental migration, which can strain borders and international relations. This session will explore various topics related to the impacts of weather extremes and other factors on national security across levels.
For more information, please contact the program chair: Lauren Stuart ([email protected]).