US official makes shocking decision that could create massive security risks — here's what's happening

The Department of Defense is no longer factoring rising global temperatures into its operations.

What's happening?

It canceled 91 studies on the social sciences and will save $30 million this year, Reuters reported.

"The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap," Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tweeted.

The change will affect information the Pentagon has gathered on changing weather patterns, migration trends, and more, as well as its planning, training, and equipment.

Why is this important?

The move puts intelligence and national security at risk. A 2018 study showed almost half of U.S. military bases were threatened by increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather, which is the result of the changing climate, Reuters reported.

The burning of dirty fuels for energy produces heat-trapping pollution that envelops Earth like a blanket, raising global temperatures and harming human health. The consequences of this and more common and intense natural disasters include displacement and instability that impact the American military and those of other countries.

For the United States, it creates a particular problem in the Arctic. With the region warming much faster than the rest of the planet, important military sites, shipping lanes, and mineral deposits are newly exposed to Russia and China, according to The Conversation.

Infrastructure planning, troop health, and the effectiveness of submarines and helicopters are just a few things that could become problematic without considering the climate, as NPR detailed.

What's being done about rising global temperatures?

Because of "catastrophic" risks to security this century and the military's reliance on energy resources, the DOD should continue to look ahead and consider these potential issues in its focus on "training and warfighting," as Hegseth put it.

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To cut its budget 8% annually over the next five years, the Pentagon can turn to clean energy sources, which are cheaper than dirty energy sources. In 2021, the military spent $2 billion on power, The Conversation noted.

These measures would all improve national security and battle-readiness.

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