Navigating Complexity: U.S. Military's Response to Climate-Driven Energy and Resource Challenges 

By Emily Pesicka, PhD, ORISE Postdoc, Energy Academic Group and Center for Infrastructure Defense

The nexus between climate change and national security is increasingly visible within the U.S. military, transcending conventional environmental considerations to embrace complex and multidimensional challenges. Acknowledging that climate change triggers shifts in energy dynamics and resource availability is essential. Heightened global demand for alternative energy sources and intensifying competition over scarce resources create the opportunity for elevated geopolitical tensions. The U.S. military has actively embarked on two principal lines of effort pertaining to energy and resources: military base renewable energy initiatives and strategic resource competition.     

The U.S. military has substantially invested in renewable energy initiatives to enhance energy resilience, including implementing solar energy technologies and sustainable energy networks at U.S. military bases. Exemplary efforts include those at Fort Cavazos in Texas (formerly Fort Hood), where solar panels strategically positioned on rooftops and open land harness solar energy to meet operational demands. Simultaneously, Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia has undertaken a comprehensive integration of solar panels on rooftops and carports, complemented by solar-powered street lighting systems. Furthermore, efforts to strengthen and expand energy resilience through microgrid installation at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar made this one of the most energy-forward installations in the U.S.     

These initiatives, crucial for enhancing energy resilience and reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels, also present a diplomatic challenge due to the strategic competition for rare earth minerals. These minerals are essential components for advanced military technologies. Addressing this challenge necessitates strategic foresight, diplomatic overtures, and concerted efforts in developing resource-efficient technologies to preclude potential conflicts arising from the critical scarcity of these resources.     As a top consumer of energy and resources, the U.S. military is prudently orienting itself toward sustainability imperatives. Embracing renewable energy and resource-efficient technologies for the U.S. military is not merely emblematic of operational resilience but also represents a strategic response to mitigate security risks associated with resource scarcity. This pragmatic approach is pivotal in ensuring the U.S. military's adaptive capacity and overall efficacy in navigating the dynamic and intricate terrain of climate-induced security challenges.

LEARN MORE

• Visit the United States Army Climate Strategy: https://tinyurl.com/yt44s6nk
• Visit the Department of the Navy Installation Energy Resilience Strategy: https://tinyurl.com/mryhtfht
• Visit the United States Marine Corps Energy Resilience Webpage: https://www.mcicom.marines.mil/Sections/Energy/
• Contact Emily Pesicka at emily.pesicka@nps.edu