“The consequences of climate change are severely impacting military infrastructure—Secretary Hegseth must take this threat with the seriousness it deserves,” Warren stated in an email to ICN. “The data demonstrates the financial burden this presents for the National Guard in responding to natural disasters. Inaction will only exacerbate these costs.”
As of yet, neither the Department of Defense nor the White House has provided a response to inquiries for comment.
During a gathering of senior officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on October 1, Hegseth reaffirmed his commitment to removing climate change considerations from military priorities. “No more climate change worship,” he declared emphatically. “No more division, distraction, or gender delusions. No more debris,” he articulated, diverging from his prepared remarks. He further asserted, “As I’ve said before, and will reiterate, we are done with that nonsense.”
Credit:
Paul Horn/Inside Climate News
However, Pentagon data indicates that climate change is influencing military operations, even if there is a refusal to recognize the science or plan for future climatic conditions. In 2024, the National Guard recorded 445,306 paid duty days dedicated to disaster response—a nearly threefold increase from figures recorded nine years prior, despite significant annual fluctuations. (The Pentagon reports these numbers as “mandays,” representing paid duty days beyond the required training for reservists.)
The peak demand for reservists in disaster response was noted in 2017, reaching 1.25 million duty days due to the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.
The highest number of National Guard deployments for wildfire response occurred in 2023, when fierce wind-driven wildfires swept through Maui, resulting in over 100 fatalities. Mobilized by Governor Josh Green, the Hawaii National Guard conducted aerial water drops from CH-47 Chinook helicopters. On the ground, they supported evacuating residents, assisted in search and recovery operations, distributed clean water, and undertook various other tasks.
