Brittany Croll is a senior program officer for climate, environment and conflict at USIP. Her work is focused on energy, natural resource governance, climate security and international climate policy.

Prior to joining USIP, Croll worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she focused on topics related to oceans, climate, research and environmental restoration. She served on multiple U.S. delegations to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the World Meteorological Organization. She also worked on restoration planning to compensate for damages from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She came to NOAA after a four-year fellowship at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water.

Croll has a bachelor’s in environmental studies from Franklin and Marshall College, a master’s degree in global environmental policy from American University, and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in energy policy and climate and national security studies.

Publications By Brittany

A Delicate Balance: Promoting Nuclear Energy While Preventing Proliferation

A Delicate Balance: Promoting Nuclear Energy While Preventing Proliferation

Thursday, November 21, 2024

As global energy demands intensify and the urgency of addressing climate shocks mounts, the role of nuclear energy has come to the forefront of discussions for governments, businesses and those concerned about sustainable development. Just last week, the Biden administration released a plan to triple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. While nuclear energy promises efficiency gains and significant emissions reductions, public opinion remains divided about the tradeoffs of increased investment, the safety risks and the implications for international security. This puts the U.S. at a crossroads as it tries to navigate its role in a world with new demands for nuclear energy and heightened risks of conflict between nuclear-armed states. Such risks were highlighted this week when Russia lowered its nuclear threshold in response to new U.S. authorizations for Ukraine to use long-range weapons.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

Why Early Warnings Are Critical for Climate Action and Conflict Prevention

Why Early Warnings Are Critical for Climate Action and Conflict Prevention

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Amid a changing climate, understanding the interplay between extreme environmental events and conflict is only growing more important. Droughts, floods and other natural disasters can exacerbate socioeconomic vulnerabilities, highlight weaknesses in governance, disrupt livelihoods and increase perceptions of marginalization.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentViolent Extremism

How U.S. Leadership Can Elevate the Food-Climate-Security Nexus

How U.S. Leadership Can Elevate the Food-Climate-Security Nexus

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Today, environmental, economic and political shocks have pushed more than 250 million people into food insecurity. Climate change, extreme weather events, conflict, and supply and distribution issues are impacting what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) considers the four pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization and stability. Food insecurity can lead to social unrest, economic instability and political challenges — impacting individual countries and broader regions. Unpredictability and disruptions in food systems can open the door for food to be wielded as a weapon or source of influence by state and non-state actors. Along with the worrying human toll, these dynamics have important implications for U.S. and global security, which means that increasing the ability of global food systems to withstand these acute and slow-onset shocks is a U.S. security imperative.

Type: Analysis

Environment

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