Department of the Navy Releases Climate Strategy

By Kristen Fletcher, Faculty Associate-Research, Energy Academic Group

On 24 May, the Department of the Navy released Climate Action 2030, the strategy that sets goals to address emissions, infrastructure adaptation, and impacts of climate change on operations. Recognizing climate change as one of the most destabilizing forces today, the strategy recognizes that it exacerbates other national security concerns and poses serious readiness challenges.     

To build a climate-ready force, the DON has set two Performance Goals: (1) Build Climate Resilience, including effective and efficient operations in the face of a changing climate and (2) Reduce Climate Threat, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the nation’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.     
The plan specifically states that the Navy will transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035 and cut its emissions by 65% over the next three decades. The Navy also will reduce emissions from buildings by 50% by 2032 and divert at least half of its waste from landfills by using other methods like composting food.     

To meet these goals, the strategy is developed around DoD’s five lines of effort on climate change including:  

• LOE 1: Climate-Informed Decision-Making
• LOE 2: Train and Equip for Climate Resilience
• LOE 3: Resilient Built and Natural Infrastructure
• LOE 4: Supply Chain Resilience and Innovation
• LOE 5: Enhanced Mitigation and Adaptation through Collaboration     

The release of the Strategy kicks off a period of implementation planning. Each of the LOEs will have 90 days to develop an implementation plan for their LOE for their key initiatives. It is anticipated that the implementation planning period will run through early September.