The United States military is one of the considerable contributors to climate change. The U.S. military ranks as the 47th worst polluter in the world. Fourteen million passenger cars produce the same amount of GHG emissions on average as the U.S. military's global greenhouse gas between 2010 to 2018. Globally, CO2 levels have increased by more than 30% due to human activity since the 1750s Industrial Revolution. National security experts predict that climate change will lead to more conflicts as resources become scarce. Climate change is a threat multiplier. The effects will exacerbate political and social tensions in countries around the world, especially ones with unstable governments. It impacts access to water, food, and other natural resources, creating shortages for the citizens. The effects of global warming disrupt ecosystems, from rises in temperatures, water shortages, and droughts to increased threats of wildfires. These ramifications have already manifested worldwide, as seen in Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives, and other island nations. In less than a decade, Jakarta shrunk by 2.5 meters. Currently, 90 American cities are already experiencing chronic flooding, and by 2030, the number will double. If we do not act upon climate change, the United States will become more vulnerable every day. Throughout its history, the U.S. military has caused significant environmental damage including the use of herbicides in the Vietnam War and white phosphorus in the Iraq War. The United States maintains nearly 800 military bases around the world and climate change threatens half of the bases. According to a 2018 Government Accountability Office survey, out of the 24 United States military bases, eight of them lack the necessary preparations for extreme weather and climate fluctuations, and most of these bases are ill-prepared for climate change impacts like rising sea levels.
In the past couple of years, severe weather conditions devastated three military bases, causing grave economic consequences. Hurricane Michael swept through Florida in 2018, resulting in about $25 billion in damages and destroying most of the buildings and its airplane hangars of the Tyndall Air Force Base. Later that year, Hurricane Florence destroyed 31 buildings at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, causing $3.6 billion in damages. This kind of destruction is not limited to coastal hurricanes. Extreme flooding destroyed the U.S. military's Strategic Command in Nebraska. According to a 2019 Pentagon report, rising sea levels and frequent flooding will affect 79 military bases.
Aside from being vulnerable in the face of the climate crisis, military bases themselves present an environmental hazard. The EPA lists U.S. bases as superfund sites that dangerously contaminate their surrounding area through hazardous waste dumps, which require special cleanup. Around the world, U.S. bases release harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Residents from Okinawa, Guam, Galapagos, and Seychelles have protested the construction and maintenance of new bases due to the destruction of their culture and the environment. According to the Environmental Working Group, 175 military installations discharge high levels of harmful chemicals, such as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in their drinking water and water supply across the United States. Many service members are at risk for toxic exposure on U.S. military bases. During a 2019 House committee hearing, Department of Defense officials stated that it would cost $2 billion to clean the water contamination at the military sites.
It is irrefutable that war is fundamentally unsustainable; there is no way to have a "green war." War causes political instability, mass migration, and unmanageable refugee crises. From 2001 to 2017, the U.S. military emitted a whopping 1.2 billion metric tons of CO2 in its invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The invasions facilitated massive environmental destruction in both countries. During the assault on the Iraqi city of Fallujah, there was a dramatic increase in rates of cancers, birth defects, and infant mortality. In a 2011 study, researchers found slightly enriched man-made uranium in hair, soil, and water among Iraqi civilians. In Afghanistan, soldiers burned fuel, releasing toxic that cause respiratory illnesses, chronic allergies, and various cancers.
Creating a more energy efficient U.S. military necessitates a multilateral approach from the federal to local levels. Late last month, 12 mayors from cities around the world pledged to divest from coal, oil, and gas, and invest in a green economy. Altogether, they hold over $295 billion in assets. Charlottesville city council voted to divest from not only fossil fuels but weapon industries too. The resolution asked Congress to fund human and environmental needs rather than military expansion. More cities should follow the example of Charlottesville. They acted because the federal government was failing in its responsibility.
Congress should audit all military bases for their climate preparedness and partner with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that non-combat bases and infrastructure meet LEED certifications and are net-zero carbon emissions. Congress authorizes the military budget annually making up the largest share of discretionary spending in the budget. There is no political support to decrease spending for the Department of Defense. The allocation of the budget must go toward cleaning the military bases to remove the harmful chemicals from the surrounding area. By becoming more energy efficient will allow the military to save money in the long term.
The United States military budget is $934 billion, yet only 0.028% goes toward renewable energy. According to 2018 energy costs, it would take only $80 billion to produce enough energy from solar and wind for every American household. That would only be 11% of the Pentagon budget 1/9th of their total spending. There needs to be a greater focus on renewables because it will make the military more efficient and increase safety. Relying on clean energy will save the lives of American soldiers and the lives of U.S military contractors. Between 2003 and 2007, the U.S army estimated that one in 24 fuel convoys ended in a casualty contributing to more than three thousand American deaths. Our military operations and capabilities can be strengthened by using more energy efficiency technology. A large aspect of the DOD energy’s budget is flight, especially jet fuel. Decarbonization of air transportation has proven extremely difficult. We need to invest in research and development of ways to transform flight by exploring low-emission renewable fuels, hybrid flight propulsion systems, and light and durable materials. Transforming our electrical grid is essential in maintaining security at home and aboard. To achieve energy efficiency, we need to invest more in renewable-powered microgrids for deployment at military installations and further the partnerships with companies to electrify combat vehicles. President Biden should work with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense to outline a similar plan as California to have their new vehicles be zero-emission. The plan needs to expand to unmanned underwater and surface watercraft, and remotely piloted aircraft. Every year, the DOD awards hundreds of billions of dollars in contracts, so we need to partner with companies that will further our energy efficiency efforts or have them pay a small fee. Public-private partnerships are successful by producing hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy. The focus should be on resilience and security as a top priority.
Congress needs to pass the Defense Climate Resilience and Readiness Act. It would require "the Department of Defense (DoD) to adapt its infrastructure and operations to address climate change and improve energy efficiency to strengthen military readiness." Lastly, President Biden should follow the Climate and Security Advisory Group (CSAG): A Climate Security Plan for America and implement the four recommendations. The EPA administrator Michael S. Regan and President Biden should reinstate the Clean Power Plan to cut the carbon pollution from power plants. We should strengthen our supply chain for military equipment. We rely heavily on imported batteries for our energy storage systems. In North America, there is only one lithium operating mine. Invoking the Defense Production Act would allow the United States to secure a domestic supply chain for critical materials.