The Climate Crisis and the US War Machine

Warmaking, and the industries that supply and profit from it, fuels the climate crisis. Only a reparative approach can begin to reverse militarization and environmental breakdown. War and militarism are defining features of the extractive economy that causes climate change and broader ecological crises. Militaries are responsible for 5.5 percent of global carbon emissions—double commercial air travel and about the same as agriculture. Beyond emissions, military activities are inherently destructive: military bases, other infrastructure, and the core functions of militaries—to break things and kill people—cause substantial environmental damage and incredible human harm. 

This short briefing explains the relationship between climate crisis and the Pentagon, and identifies high level policy priorities to foster genuine human security.