A recent study has identified the U.S. military as the largest single institutional emitter of greenhouse gases globally, raising significant concerns about its impact on climate change. This finding stems from an analysis conducted by Ryan Thombs from Penn State University, published in PLOS Climate, which scrutinized the extensive energy consumption associated with military operations, bases, and training exercises over a period from 1975 to 2022. The sheer scale of the U.S. military’s logistical and operational framework serves as a critical contributor to its greenhouse gas emissions. The implications of these findings highlight the urgent need for assessing the military’s carbon footprint within the broader context of global climate challenges.
The study’s findings illustrate a direct correlation between military spending and energy consumption; specifically, reductions in expenditure lead to significant decreases in energy use and emissions. Thombs noted that this relationship was surprising, given that existing research primarily concentrated on the environmental consequences of militarization rather than shedding light on its inverse scenario — a decline in military spending. The results indicate that decreases in spending yield greater energy savings than corresponding increases in spending lead to energy consumption escalation. This trend is attributed largely to reductions in the energy consumption of military facilities and vehicles, particularly regarding jet fuel usage, an area where the DOD has been notably impactful.
Moreover, the analysis underscores the potential for substantial energy savings should military expenditures continue to decrease over time. Thombs cautioned that such cuts could yield savings akin to the annual energy consumption of countries like Slovenia or U.S. states such as Delaware by the year 2032. Andrew Jorgenson, a co-author and sociologist from the University of British Columbia, emphasized that the study contributes critical insights into the societal causes of climate change, signifying that the military’s substantial fossil fuel consumption plays a pivotal role in anthropogenic climate change. The findings serve as a call to consider the military’s environmental impact in discussions about climate policies and decarbonization pathways, particularly amidst increasing military spending sentiments among global powers.
The scale of the U.S. military’s carbon emissions is staggering; they surpass those of nearly 140 national governments as of 2022, a detail confirmed by The Conversation. Historical data from the Army Climate Strategy report in 2019 has already designated the DOD as the world’s leading institutional petroleum consumer. Specific metrics reveal alarming statistics, such as the U.S. Army’s electricity consumption that produced 4.1 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2020, exceeding the entire heat and electricity emissions of Switzerland reported in 2017. While the Army initiated a net-zero emissions strategy for 2050, emphasizing the electrification of its fleet and transitioning to carbon-free energy sources, current geopolitical dynamics, under the previous Trump administration, indicated a downplay of climate agendas in favor of military funding.
Such declarations were exemplified by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who openly questioned the relevance of climate change initiatives to military operations, prioritizing training and combat readiness instead. His perspective diverged sharply from the department’s previous climate policies and the findings from internal DOD research. The Pentagon’s emissions, approximated at 51 million metric tons annually, predominantly arise from buildings and military vehicles. The dismissive stance taken by Hegseth and other officials led to heightened scrutiny and apprehension regarding the military’s commitment to climate action amid growing climate crises.
As a response to these challenges, the authors of the PLOS Climate study project that sustained military budget reductions could lead to remarkable energy savings in forthcoming years. Their research presents a crucial opportunity for policymakers to rethink military spending in light of environmental consequences while navigating evolving global military obligations. Considering the interconnectedness of military expenditures and greenhouse gas emissions, the findings advocate for a dual approach aimed at fortifying national security while prioritizing environmental sustainability. Addressing these concerns will require future administrations to reconcile military readiness with climate responsibility, paving the way for a proactive role of the U.S. military in climate change mitigation efforts.
