Biden’s foreign policy has cannibalized his climate agenda

Speaking Security Newsletter n°164 | 19 July 2022

Jul 19, 2022

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New publication

I’ve got an article out today in Outrider* that looks at the interplay between Biden’s foreign policy and his climate agenda. Please read/share:

Stephen Semler @stephensemler

The progress Biden’s infrastructure bill makes on climate is effectively canceled out—several times over—by the pollution enabled by his outsized military budget. Read my analysis (via @OutriderFdn) here: outrider.org/climate-change…

Biden’s infrastructure bill reduces emissions, but not enough to offset military-related emissions. The chart shows greenhouse gas emissions measured in metric tons of CO2e. The military-industrial complex produces 339 million metric tons of CO2e annually; Biden’s infrastructure bill will eventually reduce emissions by only 57 million metric tons annually. Infrastructure bill emissions data via Princeton University’s Zero Lab. Emissions for military and military industrial refer to 2017 levels; data via Neta Crawford, Costs of War Project. Chart and analysis by me, Stephen Semler.

Outrider.org 🌎 @OutriderFdn

“Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” Climate change isn’t budgeted as the “existential threat” @POTUS said it was. This week, @stephensemler explains how Biden’s Militarized Foreign Policy is Obstructing his #Climate Agenda.

outrider.orgBiden’s Militarized Foreign Policy is Obstructing his Climate AgendaClimate change isn’t budgeted as the “existential threat” Biden said it was. What Biden values more according to his own metric—“Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value”—is weapons production.

***Outrider produces really good content, so follow them on Twitter and subscribe to their newsletter.***

Data

My article leans heavily on research by the Costs of War Project on emissions attributable to the Pentagon’s operations, installations, and the industry it subsidizes. This bit isn’t the article, but I wanted to provide additional context for understanding the extent of US military-related emissions. Put simply, annual US military spending exceeds most countries’ GDP and its total greenhouse gas emissions more or less reflects that:

-Stephen (@stephensemler; stephen@securityreform.org)

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