E2: “Climate change is a direct threat to our national security and to the brave men and women who fight to protect it.”

WASHINGTON  – Dozens of veterans from across all of the armed services called on Washington to rapidly mobilize clean energy solutions to reduce the growing threat climate change poses to U.S. national security and military preparedness.

In the letter delivered today to Congress and President Biden, more than 50 American military veterans warn of climate change’s “toll on military readiness” and national security and call on the President and Congress to respond with investments and solutions “commensurate with the scale of the crisis.”

Following is a statement from Sandra Purohit, director of federal advocacy for E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), which helped organize the letter:

“Our veterans know better than anyone that climate change is a direct threat to our national security and to the brave men and women who fight to protect it.

“Innovation and clean energy are also central to our military’s modernization and readiness efforts. This 4th of July, Congress and the President should commit to addressing the climate threat and embracing the opportunity that climate solutions present for our warfighters.”  

E2’s members include retired flag officers and others from across every branch of the military. The organization is a co-sponsor of the upcoming Veterans Advanced Energy Summit in Chicago, the Advanced Energy + National Security summit in Richmond, Va. and also recently hosted events focusing on the economic costs of climate change and economic benefits of climate action for Naval Station Norfolk, Va. and Fort Bragg, N.C. Additionally, the cost of climate change to the military is a major focus of E2 Executive Director Bob Keefe’s new book Climatenomics: Washington, Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet.

The letter from veterans across the country comes as Congress and the Biden administration are expected to consider policies that could have significant implications for climate and national security. These include major federal investments in clean energy through a budget resolution; the National Defense Authorization Act, funding for climate technologies and resilience for foreign countries as well as executive actions from trade issues to military spending.

To read the full letter, see here.

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Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.

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