US defense spending cuts could 'match' energy needs of a small country

A recent peer-reviewed study published in PLOS Climate, led by Ryan Thombs of Penn State University, reveals that sustained cuts in US military spending could significantly reduce the Department of Defense’s (DoD) energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Analyzing data from 1975 to 2022, the researchers found a strong correlation between defense budget fluctuations and the Pentagon’s energy use, particularly in jet fuel, vehicle operations, and facility maintenance. Notably, reductions in military funding yield disproportionately larger energy savings compared to the energy increases caused by budget growth, suggesting that modest defense cuts could produce substantial environmental benefits without compromising military readiness. Projecting forward to 2032, the study’s scenario modeling indicates that sustained defense budget cuts could save energy equivalent to the total annual consumption of a small country such as Slovenia or the US state of Delaware. While the authors caution that military spending reductions should not be seen as a standalone climate solution, they emphasize the importance of addressing the DoD’s vast energy footprint