Defense officials say a report slated for release Monday will lay out plans for the Pentagon to get a better handle on how climate change will affect the military, and determine how best to deal with the challenges.

Defense Department leaders have long warned that the evolving change in climate patterns, resulting in rising seas and increased severe weather events, will have a broad and costly impact on the Defense Department's ability to protect the nation and respond to natural and humanitarian disasters in the United States and around the world.

Rising sea levels could eventually put vast stretches of Navy docks and other military infrastructure under water, in places like Norfolk, Virginia, Honolulu, Hawaii, and other coastal bases around the world. And increased natural disasters would create a bigger demand for military support for humanitarian relief.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is expected to discuss the plan at a meeting of defense ministers from the Americas here Monday. More than 30 defense ministers from the Americas and some European nations are expected to attend.

"If you take just the one element of climate change, potential threats as sea levels rise; the coasts of countries, islands, present obvious security challenges for stability, security, national defense institutions," said Hagel during a stop in Santiago, Chile, over the weekend. "When there is any natural disaster event that occurs, there always is some element of a security risk; law and order, individuals attempting to take advantage of those catastrophes, adjusting to shifts in security requirements."

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