The US Military is going green and plans to move forward with their goals of becoming net-zero by the year 2050.
The military released a document detailing their latest climate strategy which includes plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 by adopting more electric vehicles, updating power grids, and “supply chain resilience” according to the document.
"Climate change threatens America's security and is altering the geostrategic landscape as we know it," Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth stated in the document's opening remarks.
Climate Change remains one of the greatest threats to the US Military and has already wreaked havoc on the nation's many bases and compounds. According to the Defense Department, Hurricane Florence caused $3.5 billion in damages and repairs at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in 2018. The following year, flooding at the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska cost taxpayers $500 million in damages.
The impending danger caused by climate change is clear but lucky for us, the military has some new tricks up their sleeves. The updated strategy involves updating "resilience and sustainability" through enhancing the military's operations and infrastructure.
The US Army currently has 950 renewable energy projects that supply 480 megawatts of power, with plans to have a microgrid installed at every Army Installation by 2035.
The strategy also lays out a "roadmap of actions" detailing plans of purchasing electricity from carbon-pollution-free sources, an all electric non-tactical fleet by 2027, and equipping their soldiers with "skills, concepts, and plans necessary to operate in a climate-altered world," as stated by the news release.
"The time to address climate change is now," said Wormuth. "The effects of climate change have taken a toll on supply chains, damaged our infrastructure, and increased risks to Army Soldiers and their families due to natural disasters and extreme weather."