Protecting Our Future Against Catastrophic Risk

The Project Global Shield campaign is leading the effort to better understand the risks we face and enhance our last lines of defense.
THE RISK
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What We Face

The range of global catastrophic and existential risks we face today is greater than at any point in human history. From natural disasters to man-made catastrophes, the unthinkable consequences of such events means they are too often left unaddressed. Greater attention to these risks is critical to our national defense, security, and civic welfare.

The threat posed by inadequate continuity of operations and continuity of government planning (COOP/COG) to survive such risks is severe. COOP/COG planning is last line of defense in the most extreme times of need to maintain the basic functions and constitutional order of the country. The U.S. has fallen far behind on planning for such contingencies, relying on 20th century solutions to 21st century problems. A new approach is needed.

THE SOLUTION
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Global Shield Initiative

Though catastrophic and existential risks directly impact our national welfare, their consequences are global. The U.S. government has an opportunity and responsibility to lead the way in addressing such threats. Project Global Shield is prepared to work with U.S. policymakers in Congress and the federal government to conduct an evaluation of global catastrophic and existential risk from experts across our national security enterprise, and to use that analysis to inform a review of our last lines of defense for these risks.
Read the Letter

Project Global Shield is encouraged by the introduction of the Global Catastrophic Risk Management Act of 2022. Led by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), the Chair and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, the bipartisan bill sets forth the necessary next steps in analyzing, preparing for, and protecting against catastrophic risks to our future national security. Project Global Shield stands ready to support this necessary Congressional effort in turning this critical legislation into law.
Read the Bill

Language directing the Department of Defense to assess its readiness against global catastrophic and existential risks was added to this year's House Armed Services Committee National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) report. This is an important first step, but a whole-of-government, interagency committee on global catastrophic risk is needed to truly understand and address the threats we face.
Read the Report