FUTURE FORCE SUSTAINABILITY: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

Part I of this discussion will begin with background information on the United States military’s contribution to GHG emissions and climate change. It will also look at some examples of exemptions the military has received from federal environmental laws, particularly during times of conflict. Next, it will focus on energy efficiency standards and exemptions, some of which the military has stated it will comply with voluntarily. Part II of this discussion will then survey some of the ways the military has begun to meet energy efficiency standards, including renewable fuel programs and solar installations. That Part will look at these efforts in the context of the military’s historically poor record of environmental practices and will highlight the paradoxical nature of military sustainability. Additionally, it will identify difficulties of ensuring that the military stay focused on energy efficiency. Finally, Part III will make recommendations on how military energy transformation can be better organized and how the public can ensure military adherence to its promises