The US Army released its very first climate change strategy on Tuesday with the goal of reducing the Army's greenhouse gas pollution by 50% by 2030 and obtaining "net-zero" emissions by 2050.
They plan to attain these goals by increasing their fuel efficiency, ensuring their Army vehicles are electric, modernizing operational power generation, battery storage, land management, and supply chain resilience.
The strategy came when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made climate change and studied its effects within the US military a priority since taking the helm of the Defense Department.
After he was sworn in as Defense Secretary in January 2021, Austin announced the department would "immediately" take "appropriate policy actions to prioritize climate change considerations in" military activities and risk assessments.
"Climate change threatens America's security and is altering the geostrategic landscape as we know it. For today's Soldiers operating in extreme temperature environments, fighting wildfires, and supporting hurricane recovery, climate change isn't a distant future; it is a reality," said the Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth in the opening statement of the Army's strategy document.
"The time to address climate change is now. 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." - Christine Wormuth
