The immensely substantial carbon emissions produced by the U.S. military call for reducement. Learn strategies for decarbonization here.
A new study led by Professor Ryan Thombs of Penn State University has highlighted the potential benefits of reducing U.S. military spending on carbon emissions and the environment. The study, which analysed publicly available data from 1975 to 2022, found a strong link between military spending and energy consumption.
The U.S. military is the world’s largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases, with operations requiring vast amounts of energy for maintaining bases, training, research and development, and global transportation of personnel and equipment. Reducing military spending is associated with decreased energy use, particularly from facilities, vehicles, equipment, and jet fuel.
The study forecasts that a 6.59% annual reduction in military spending from 2023 to 2032 would result in energy savings equivalent to the total energy use of Slovenia or the U.S. state of Delaware. Given that the U.S. military produced an estimated 636 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent between 2010 and 2019, these savings could have a substantial impact on climate change mitigation.
The study also found that reductions in military spending have a significantly larger impact on energy consumption than increases. This suggests that even modest cuts could yield meaningful fossil fuel savings and planetary benefits.
Professor Thombs is optimistic that spending cuts can be feasible with the correct framing, such as redirecting funds to jobs, healthcare, and education. Framing the cuts in this way could be a winning strategy, as it could materially improve people’s lives.
The US military's aviation activities are a key focus for reducing energy consumption, given their high energy intensity. Reducing the scale of aviation operations is crucial for reducing emissions in the military sector. If the US military were a country, it would rank 47th globally in emissions, ahead of nations like Sweden and Portugal.
The researchers plan to investigate why spending cuts appear to yield such outsized savings and whether the same pattern holds true for other major militaries. The proposed national defense budget for the next fiscal year by President Trump’s administration is a 13.4% increase from the year prior, making this research particularly timely.
In conclusion, the study suggests that modest reductions in U.S. military expenditure could play an important role in lowering fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby supporting global efforts to combat climate change and reduce environmental harm.
- Professor Thombs' study, analyzing data from 1975 to 2022, reveals a strong correlation between military spending and energy consumption.
- The U.S. military, being the world's largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases, requires vast amounts of energy for maintaining bases, training, research, and global transportation.
- The study predicts that a 6.59% annual reduction in military spending from 2023 to 2032 would result in energy savings equivalent to Slovenia or Delaware's total energy use.
- These energy savings could have a significant impact on climate change mitigation, considering the U.S. military produced an estimated 636 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent between 2010 and 2019.
- The study suggests that even modest cuts to military spending could yield substantial fossil fuel savings and positive impacts on the planet.
- Professor Thombs is confident that spending cuts can be implemented effectively by reallocating funds to sectors like jobs, healthcare, and education, making a direct positive impact on people's lives.
- The study's findings underscore the need to address aviation activities within military operations, as they have a high energy intensity and contribute significantly to emissions.
- The researchers intend to explore the underlying reasons for the outsized energy savings from spending cuts and whether similar patterns are observed in other major military forces, with the forthcoming national defense budget promising timely relevance for this line of research.
