Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recently spoke of the major challenges facing America’s military resulting from climate change. Among the challenges the armed forces may face is rising sea levels that could put Navy docks and other installations under water in places like Norfolk, Va., Honolulu, and other coastal locations.
The Pentagon has been working for years to reduce the military's carbon footprint by using alternative fuels and more stringent energy-efficiency construction standards. Despite these efforts, the military was responsible for 71% of the federal government's carbon footprint in 2010. A federal greenhouse gas report said that more than 60% of the Pentagon's carbon footprint cannot be reduced easily.
A newly released Defense Department report identifies four things that will affect the U.S. military due to climate change: rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, more extreme weather, and rising sea levels. It calls on the department and the military to identify specific concerns, including possible effects on the more than 7,000 bases and facilities worldwide, and to start putting plans in place to deal with them.
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/climate-change-military_n_5975734.html)
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2021
New York City shuts down 322 construction sites for unsafe conditions
Action comes as inspectors visit more than 2,100 sites.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Bechtel, Nautilus partner on sustainable, high-performance data centers
Facilities would use 70% less power for cooling, eliminate consumption of drinking water.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Surfside condo collapse could spur new legislation
Natl. Institute of Standards and Technology is investigating.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Intl. Code Council appoints committees to lead energy code development
One-third of appointees are government regulators.
Codes and Standards | Jul 1, 2021
COVID-19 made payment delays to contractors much worse
Only one in ten companies is always getting paid in full.
Codes and Standards | Jun 30, 2021
New resource for public sector organizations to develop energy data management program
Dept. of Energy document contains more than 30 examples of successful implementations.
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2021
Biden China policy may spur more increased U.S. PV manufacturing capacity
Senate bill proposes advanced solar manufacturing production credit.
Codes and Standards | Jun 28, 2021
Local and state building energy performance standards aim to curb climate change
Owners must up the ante on operations and retrofits.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2021
Biden Administration will restore ‘Waters of the U.S.’ protections ended by Trump
Early revision more likely to hold up in court, says legal expert.
Codes and Standards | Jun 23, 2021
Denver unveils renewable heating and cooling plan
City releases roadmap to decarbonizing existing homes and buildings.
