Military Incorporating Low-Carbon Planning

ClimateWire has a great article published on the NYT's online edition on how the US military is adopting green technologies out of budgetary, operational and ultimately, strategic concerns. The military's beginning to recognize the opportunity costs of fossil fuels and energy inefficiency. More energy demand means longer and more vulnerable supply lines. It also means more troops devoted to convoy protection rather than front-line combat.

Back in May, the CNA published a report calling for the military to adopt energy security and climate change policies. At the report's release event, Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn argued for the Pentagon to adopt renewable energy policies because they could change the culture of government and of society. The headline of today's paper is "Riding a Wave of Culture Change, DOD Strives to Trim Energy Demand". This is a great example of institutions understanding climate change and energy as new security developments that demand corresponding changes in policy. Dealing with climate change not only requires innovation but also new ways of thinking about the costs of inaction, such as adopting a 'carbon bootprint'.