Our Mission
Our mission is to educate and act on the interrelationship of US militarism and the global ecological and climate crisis. We seek to integrate anti-militarism into the climate and ecological narrative by demonstrating how world peace and nonviolent conflict resolution are inseparable from environmental and climate justice, using educational events, action opportunities and solidarity work with climate and related social movements.
Background
US militarism is a major driver of the climate emergency.
Unless military operations are dramatically scaled back, attempts to mitigate the worst effects of global heating will not be effective. The Pentagon is the largest single institutional consumer of oil worldwide with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions comparable to those of some industrialized countries. It commands an extensive global network and vast infrastructure – more than 800 offshore military bases, over two million people, 11 nuclear aircraft carriers, scores of jet planes and tens of thousands of tanks and Humvees. It demands an immense, continuous supply of reliable energy, described by one general as the “lifeblood” of its war-fighting capabilities. Conflicts and military exercises sharply increase its consumption of oil: during the first four years of the Iraq war 141m tonnes of carbon were released to the atmosphere, more than the annual emissions from 139 countries in that period. Moreover, because the US military is in turn required for the protection of and access to foreign oil and shipping lanes, US militarism drives a perpetual loop of oil consumption.
2023 Work Plan
Get involved
The Peace & Climate Working Group meets monthly, usually on the second Wednesday at 7pm, via zoom. If you’d like to participate please contact John MacDougall, convenor, or Rosalie Anders or Kate Cloud, co-convenors, at climate@masspeaceaction.org.
Videos
Subscribe to Massachusetts Peace Action videos
