Pentagon climate plan prepares military for extreme conditions

The Pentagon on Thursday began its biggest effort to prepare the military for the effects of climate change with the release of a 32-page strategy.

“Climate change is an existential threat to the security of our nation, and the Defense Ministry must act swiftly and boldly to meet this challenge and prepare for damage that cannot be avoided,” the Defense Secretary said. Defense. Lloyd AustinLloyd Austin Defense and National Security – Troops secretly train with Taiwan as tensions with China continue Pentagon climate plan prepares military for extreme conditions Defense and national security overnight – Pentagon leaders at Congress: Do not miss MORE said in a press release published alongside the strategy, known as the Climate Adaptation Plan.

The Pentagon’s strategy aims to transform the military into an agency capable of managing and operating amidst ever-increasing hurricanes, wildfires, heat, drought and floods “capable of triggering crises. and instability around the world ”.

The new plan will help the Pentagon better consider the effects of climate change on its operations, training, facilities, planning and business processes when making decisions.

This is crucial, Austin said, because the effects of climate change are already costing the Pentagon billions of dollars and “will continue to amplify the force’s operational demands, to degrade facilities and infrastructure, to increase risks to the force. health of our military and require modifications to existing and planned equipment.

The Ministry of Defense was one of the 23 agencies to publish climate adaptation plans. Others included the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the Pentagon report, officials offer vivid examples of how climate change is already affecting its work and the threats it expects in the near future.

In recent years, wildfires have forced evacuations at bases in the western United States, while hurricanes on the East Coast and flooding in the Midwest “have inflicted billions of dollars in damage to people. facilities that house key combat capabilities, ”according to the report. said.

Additionally, climatic issues such as extreme heat can affect troop safety, with at least 17 soldiers killed from heat exposure during training exercises at US military bases since 2008.

“We must meet these challenges as a team, from all corners of the Pentagon, on every one of our facilities and bases, across the federal government and alongside our partners and allies,” Austin said.