Why I Wrote From Warming to Warfare: Climate Change and the Road to WWIII
By Steven W. Pearce
📘 Read the book here »
The Uncomfortable Connection Between Climate and Conflict
When I first began researching the intersection of climate change and global security, I didn’t anticipate how deep the rabbit hole would go. What began as a sustainability consultant’s concern about food security and displacement soon evolved into a deeper, more disturbing pattern—one that connects climate stress, geopolitical instability, and military readiness.
During my career, I often found myself on calls with Department of Defense (DoD) officials, receiving real-time updates about global troop movements, conflict escalation points, and skirmishes that never made it to the headlines. Whenever these updates came in, I had one habit: I always asked the same question—
“What resources are there?”
First, I’d ask about water. Then, I’d ask about critical resources: strategic minerals, rare earth elements (REEs), hydrocarbons, or key chokepoints in supply chains. And almost every time—I was right. The flashpoints weren’t random—they were resource-driven.
This wasn’t new to me. I had learned as an undergraduate that, going all the way back to ancient times, wars were always fought over resources—even when cloaked in religion, ideology, or national pride. Land, water, salt, copper, oil, lithium—the names change, but the logic remains.
Climate Collapse Is Not a Distant Risk—It’s a Catalyst
Today, the climate crisis is acting as a threat multiplier. Droughts create famines. Floods displace millions. Extreme heat strains fragile energy grids. And when governments can’t respond—instability follows.
What struck me was how few people were connecting these dots. While politicians debated emissions and energy subsidies, few were asking:
What happens when water scarcity becomes a national security issue?
How does a collapsing climate become a staging ground for conflict?
What if the true flashpoints of the 21st century are not ideological—but ecological?
More Than a Book—A Strategic Framework for Our Time
From Warming to Warfare is not just a book—it’s a warning, a blueprint, and a conversation starter. It connects the disciplines of climate science, international relations, and defense strategy in one place.
Inside, you’ll find:
How resource scarcity is already driving unrest across the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and beyond
The geopolitical implications of melting Arctic trade routes and sea level rise
How AI, ESG metrics, and predictive intelligence could become tools of peace—or war
The risk of climate-driven refugee crises overwhelming fragile borders and igniting tensions
New models for resilience and diplomacy, grounded in climate security frameworks
This is not fiction. It’s a roadmap to what’s already happening—and what comes next.
Why I Had to Write This
There comes a time when knowledge becomes a responsibility.
I didn’t write this book to be dramatic. I wrote it because the patterns are clear, the stakes are real, and the systems we rely on are not prepared. I’ve worked in global development, ESG strategy, and national security advisory roles long enough to know that the climate crisis cannot be separated from our geopolitics.
I wrote this because we can’t treat climate like an isolated issue anymore.
I wrote this because peace cannot exist on a collapsing planet.
I wrote this because history shows us that when resources dwindle, wars follow—unless we act differently.
What Comes Next
If you're a policymaker, investor, security strategist, or just someone trying to make sense of the world right now, I invite you to read this book. We need more people thinking systemically—across silos of environment, economy, and defense.
📘 Read the book here:
➡️ From Warming to Warfare: Climate Change and the Road to WWIII
🗣️ Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Your insights, questions, and ideas matter—we’re all in this together.
About Steven W. Pearce
Steven W. Pearce is an award-winning sustainability strategist, global development advisor, and the founder of Pearce Sustainability Consulting Group (PSCG). With over 13 years of experience advising governments, corporations, and international agencies, he is known for his work on climate resilience, ESG reporting, and predictive sustainability intelligence.
Steven holds an MBA in Sustainability Management, a Master of Project Management, and is currently completing a graduate degree in International Relations at Harvard. He has collaborated with institutions like the U.S. Department of Defense, USAID, and the United Nations, and has delivered lectures and projects in over 20 countries.
Steven is the author of multiple books—including From Warming to Warfare: Climate Change and the Road to WWIII—and is the creator of Strategic Earth, a Substack publication exploring the intersection of climate, geopolitics, and economic transformation.
Follow his work at:
🌍 https://substack.com/@stevenwpearce
📘 https://books2read.com/from-warming-to-warfare
🌐 https://pscg.global/