A federal government report released this week said climate change will probably pose a significant national security challenge for the U.S. over the next two decades.

Along with that report, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum requiring federal agencies to account for climate change's impacts when developing national security policy.

The White House said there is an increasing need for collaboration among scientists and the intelligence and national security communities.

Here in Arizona, ASU’s Global Security Initiative—or GSI—is putting together a new program on climate and national security.

To learn more details about the program, KJZZ's The Show spoke with Dave White of the university’s School of Community Resources and Development and a Global Security Fellow with GSI.

White said droughts, floods and other extreme weather events are examples of how climate change impacts security.

"It can exacerbate other problems by undermining the security for instance of food, energy and water supplies, not only domestically but in countries that are of strategic importance to the United States around the world,"  White said.