A new report has issued a stark warning that the accelerating global arms race is directly undermining efforts to combat the climate crisis. The study reveals that critical minerals essential for renewable energy technologies are being diverted in large quantities to fuel the development of advanced military hardware.
The Pentagon's Strategic Stockpile
The research, conducted by the Transition Security Project – a joint US and UK initiative – details how the Pentagon is amassing huge reserves of materials crucial for a sustainable future. It found that at least 38 minerals and metals, including lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements, are being aggressively stockpiled through its National Defense Stockpile programme.
This strategic shift has accelerated since US President Donald Trump passed significant legislation earlier this year. The Pentagon has since earmarked billions of dollars to secure these resources for military applications. These range from precision-guided missiles and advanced communication systems to emerging arsenals like AI-driven autonomous warfare platforms.
Climate Solutions Versus the 'War Machine'
The report highlights the severe opportunity cost of this militarisation of supply chains. The very minerals needed to manufacture solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and large-scale battery storage are being locked away for defence purposes.
One stark example is cobalt. The Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency plans to stockpile nearly 7,500 metric tons of the metal. The analysis calculates this amount of cobalt could instead be used to produce approximately 80.2 GWh of battery capacity. This is more than double the existing energy storage capacity in the United States and enough to build around 100,000 electric buses.
"Every ton of cobalt or graphite stockpiled for the military could be used instead for electric buses, large-scale energy storage or other renewable technologies needed for the energy transition," said Lorah Steichen, the report's author. "These materials should accelerate decarbonisation, not fuel the insatiable war machine."
A New Direction in US Defence Policy
The report outlines a significant change in posture under the current administration. While the US Department of Defense – the world's largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases – has previously acknowledged climate risks, such considerations now appear sidelined.
This is exemplified by a social media post from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in March, which stated: "The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap. We do training and warfighting."
The Pentagon's immense $1 trillion annual budget and influence allows it to shape mineral markets, direct investments, and build industrial capacity for military ends. The study found that since 2023, the Pentagon has funded or signalled support for at least 20 mining initiatives in the US and Canada worth almost $1 billion, including taking direct equity stakes in companies – an unprecedented move in modern US industrial policy.
Khem Rogaly, co-director of the Transition Security Project, condemned the strategy: "The Pentagon's trillion dollar budget supports a global infrastructure designed for US military domination, not national security. Using precious resources to feed the expanding military industrial complex, rather than addressing the existential threat of the climate crisis, demonstrates the global insecurity produced by the Pentagon."
The report concludes that by capturing these vital materials, the Pentagon not only drains resources from urgent climate solutions but also perpetuates a cycle of militarism that crowds out civilian government functions and threatens the possibility of a just, global energy transition. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on the report's findings.
