Department of the Navy Climate Action 2030
Abstract
Climate change is one of the most destabilizing forces of our time, exacerbating other national security concerns and posing serious readiness challenges. Our naval forces, the United States Navy and Marine Corps, are in the crosshairs of the climate crisis: the threat increases instability and demands on our forces while simultaneously impacting our capacity to respond to those demands. It is because of this direct threat to mission that I chose climate as a focal point for my tenure as Secretary. While this reality is one that the Department of Navy (DON) has faced for some time, it is a reality that we face with new urgency and resolve. On January 27, 2021, as one of his first acts, President Biden prioritized climate change as an essential element of national security in Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. Secretary Austin has championed that prioritization in the Department of Defense. Partners and allies around the globe, the economy, and the security ecosystem are similarly focused and committed. For the Department of Navy, this is existential. If we do not act, as sea levels rise, bases like Norfolk Naval Base and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island will be severely tested in their ability to support their missions. If temperatures continue to rise, the oceans will get warmer, creating more destructive storms requiring our Fleets and Marine Corps forces to increase their operational tempo to respond. We will see more extreme heat events such as the record-setting heatwaves in the normally temperate Pacific Northwest, and the expansive fires and unprecedented droughts in the West. These events mean more black flag days with temperatures at-or-above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring strenuous activity including mission-essential training be curtailed because it is not safe. It means strain on the grid as people compete for energy to cool off, making mission and our people vulnerable to an outage.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 27, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1170074
Entities
People
- Carlos Del Toro
Organizations
- United States Department of the Navy