Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently announced plans to cut 8% from the military budget each year for the next five years. During a press conference, he highlighted a specific area for reduction: climate programs within the Defense Department. Hegseth expressed that the military’s primary focus is on defense and warfare, not climate change.
While military leaders have always considered climate change in their planning, this focus intensified after President Biden’s 2021 order, which stated climate change is a national security issue. However, some of these initiatives were rolled back when President Trump took office.
Experts argue that the Pentagon’s climate programs are fundamentally linked to military readiness. Tom Ellison from the Center for Climate and Security pointed out, “Everything the Department of Defense does regarding climate change has a mission-oriented purpose.” This mission-oriented approach means planning for future challenges caused by climate change is essential. For instance, rising sea levels could flood coastal bases, and increasing temperatures may limit outdoor training days.
Climate change will not just change the landscape; it will impact military operations. Extreme heat can affect soldier health, altering equipment functionality like submarine sonar and transport aircraft lift capacity. Climate change can even lead to food shortages, affecting stability worldwide.
Improving fuel efficiency in military vehicles is another practical response to climate challenges. Reducing fuel consumption not only benefits the environment; it also lessens the risks involved in fuel logistics, especially in war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.
The military is also adjusting its infrastructure to withstand severe weather. Hurricane Florence inflicted significant damage on Camp Lejeune in 2018, costing $3.6 billion for repairs and new construction. Flooding constantly threatens important locations, leading to redesigns for facilities to cope with rising sea levels.
Some military bases, like Parris Island in South Carolina, may eventually need to be relocated due to these threats. This shift requires extensive planning and resources. Additionally, military units are increasingly called to assist in disaster recovery as climate-related events like floods and hurricanes become more frequent, with 176 responses recorded since 2022.
Despite budget cuts, addressing climate change remains a point of bipartisan support in Congress, as both parties recognize its importance to national security.
However, the future of climate-related programs remains uncertain. Recently, the Department of Defense Climate Resilience Portal was taken down, raising questions about ongoing climate initiatives. Caroline Baxter, who helped establish the portal, emphasized the importance of having resources available for military planners to make informed decisions regarding climate impacts on operations.
She noted that climate issues affect various military aspects, from equipment efficiency to infrastructure needs. Ignoring these challenges could make operations even more difficult, as the mathematics of climate change is undeniable and ongoing.
This increasing focus on climate change highlights its growing importance to military strategy and preparedness, which has far-reaching implications for national security.
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