August M
A new study warns that the rapid acceleration of global military spending is pulling vital minerals away from clean energy technologies.
Researchers say defence demands are now competing directly with efforts to build a sustainable, low-carbon future.
The analysis, released by the Transition Security Project, highlights how the Pentagon’s growing stockpiles are reshaping supply chains for minerals central to the energy transition.
Military demand rising
According to The Guardian, the joint US–UK project found that the Pentagon has significantly expanded its mineral reserves since President Donald Trump signed what he called his ‘one big beautiful bill’ earlier this year.
Billions of dollars have been allocated through the National Defense Stockpile to secure materials used across modern weapons systems, advanced communications and emerging “AI-driven autonomous warfare platforms”.
Khem Rogaly, the programme’s co-director, said: “The Pentagon’s trillion dollar budget supports a global infrastructure designed for US military domination, not national security.”
He argued that prioritising minerals for defence rather than climate solutions “demonstrates the global insecurity produced by the Pentagon.”
Global military spending has risen sharply following heightened tensions with China and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, intensifying competition for these resources.
Minerals diverted
According to the report, at least 38 minerals tied to renewable technologies – including lithium, cobalt, graphite and rare earths – are now being amassed for military use.
The Pentagon’s plan to secure nearly 7,500 metric tons of cobalt, the study says, could otherwise support more than 80 GWh of battery storage or power about 100,000 electric buses, The Guardian notes
Broader implications
The US Department of Defense remains the largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases worldwide, producing around 80% of US government emissions.
While Pentagon planners have previously acknowledged climate risks, the Trump administration has taken a sharply different approach. In March,
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: ‘The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap. We do training and warfighting,’ The Guardian notes
Source: The Guardian
