| In the post-Cold War political environment, climate change has received mounting attention from the security establishment as a potentially destabilizing force, threat multiplier, and existential danger. This securitization of climate change has focused on national and international scales. Recently, however, subnational scales, particularly cities, have been found to play an important role in maintaining security. My study employed geographic information systems (GIS) to model future projections of sea level rise (SLR), a key component of climate change, to investigate possible impacts to security at the city level. Using Seattle, Washington, my GIS model showed that 21st century projections of low, medium, and high probabilities of SLR would disrupt numerous sectors of critical infrastructure and key resources, inundate several square kilometers of land, and displace thousands of residents. My results indicate sea level rise may pose a significant threat to the security of Seattle and the rest of the United States. |
