(PresidentialHill.com)- There are many issues that should be concerning to the White House right now, but one that might surprise some is water security.
However, according to a report released by Axios, the White House — led by officials at the National Security Council — is discussing the possibility of releasing the first-ever action plan that would address global water security.
If this indeed does proceed as is being rumored, it would be the first time that the White House would ever link national security with global water security. It might seem odd to most Americans, who have little to no trouble accessing safe and clean water on a consistent basis.
That’s not the case around the world, though. Water security around the globe often results in conflicts between countries, which eventually spill over to have effects on countries the world over.
The Axios report says the Biden administration feels that it is important that America ensure that it has water security nailed down. It also wants to help prevent foreign conflicts that could happen over water access and security, especially in vulnerable places such as Africa and the Middle East.
This effort by the White House would be an international one, since it would involve working with countries to create cooperation across border to share resources where necessary and provide access to water sanitation around the world.
Despite Axios’ report, the NSC said that no final decision has been made just yet about whether the White House would be releasing such a water security plan. In an email, a senior official in the Biden administration told Axios:
“We do not have a comment on any action plan at this time. Global water security continues to play an important role in our national security interests and is a critical component of our ongoing work in the Biden administration.”
If a plan were ever to be presented and approved at the federal level, it would establish a governmental approach to how the U.S. would help protect water resources in the world. It would also be an environmental plan that would help create plans for ensuring access universally to reliable water sources that are clean — or can be sanitized.
The Biden administration has been warning for months that climate change is likely to ultimately result in a less secure world that will be prone to additional conflict over natural resources.
Back in October, Lloyd Austin, the defense secretary, said:
“Climate change is altering the strategic landscape and shaping the security environment, posing complex threats to the United States and nations around the world.”
One of the specific focuses of the Biden administration is on cyber threats to the country’s water infrastructure. Just two months ago, the White House announced it was launching an Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Initiative that would be focused solely on the water sector.
That same plan was then extended to natural gas pipelines and electricity grids in an effort to make sure the U.S. was protected from potential cyber threats that could damage necessary everyday resources.
