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.
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.
Tens of years on, the United States, the largest owner of nuclear power plants, still promotes nuclear power as “safe and clean energy.” by H. Patricia Hynes Then In 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated northeast Japan, taking the lives of
Article and photos by Howie Rotman Wednesday evening, August 25, 2021 hundreds of supporters in solidarity with the First Nation Indigenous-Led movement against the Enbridge Corporation’s construction of the Line 3 tar sands crude oil pipeline held a rally and vigil at the Jamaica Pond
by Nick Rabb When considering the climate crisis and its numerous intersections with other movements for justice, one that is often overlooked is the role of militarism. At first glance, it may seem that the two are worlds away, but a deeper analysis reveals that
![President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, kicks off the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 2021. [White House photo by Adam Schultz/ Public Domain]](http://testsite2.masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/51133294486_6307772d2a_o-768x512.jpg)
by Maryellen Kurkulos This point cannot be overemphasized: The earth’s climate is changing irreversibly, while the window of opportunity to keep global heating to less than 1.5ºC is closing fast. Droughts, floods, wildfires, and storms are ever more frequent and more intense. Atmospheric CO2 levels
The Peace & Climate working group meets monthly at 7 pm on Thursdays. If you’d like to participate please email Rosalie Anders at rosalie.h.anders [at] gmail.com or John MacDougall at John_Macdougall [at] uml.edu.
Climate and Peace
The Pentagon calls climate change a threat multiplier. Drought and desertification of agricultural land destabilized Syria and Mali, and millions of people have suffered from the ensuing violence. Conflict over water looms over India, Pakistan, and China, three nations bristling with nuclear weapons. Control over access to water is a key issue in the territorial struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. When there’s not enough food, water, shelter, or work, violence can thrive.
While some places have too little water, others have too much, and virulent storms and flooding have also affected millions of people. The number of climate and war refugees continues to grow, with no solutions in sight.
The United States puts the military at the center of its approach to foreign conflict. The military uses staggering quantities of resources—land, people, money, and technological research—but offers few real solutions and in fact often makes matters worse. U.S. planning for dealing with the global unrest caused or abetted by climate disruption mostly centers around military thinking. That violence begets violence is not a lesson our nation has learned yet.
Working to stop climate change is interchangeable with working for peace. Both movements are based on a reverence for life and desire not to destroy it, a realization that the world is interconnected, and a commitment to a more equal world. Many peace activists are also climate activists.
How can we best translate these moral, economic and strategic connections into effective collaboration? Do peace and climate activists share a similar timetable for action? Are we working in the same venues? Trying to reach the same people? Is there agreement that we won’t make the changes needed until we tackle exploitive capitalism?
At MAPA’s November 21 sustainable security conference, speakers highlighted some potentially linking issues: campaign finance reform; a new economy that is greener and fairer, with less money for the military and more for creating assets like transit, education, renewables; and promoting peaceful alternatives to international conflict, including negotiation. Might we come together more deliberately to work on 2016 elections, or to promote the people’s budget in Congress?
A new MAPA task force, partnering with climate justice advocates, will look at these questions with the goal of helping to make our work for change more effective. Join us as we tackle these key questions. Contact the office.
For the peace movement the Iran nuclear accord was a breakthrough, a moment when negotiation overcame war mongering. For the climate movement, the Paris climate agreement was a breakthrough, as the world’s nations finally came together to commit to taking action. Let’s build on this momentum.
Our Mission
Massachusetts Peace Action works to promote national and international action to limit human-induced climate change. MAPA realizes the threat posed by climate change, and promotes a healthy environment and development. MAPA seeks to promote policies that will promote societal as well as environmental peace for our future generations.
The drought in Syria illustrates the interconnected nature of peace and climate. It lasted from 2006 to 2009 and contributed to civil unrest and uprisings against the Assad regime in 2011. In 2015, Scientists published a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Scientists linking that drought to human induced climate changes in the region. Therefore, climate change contributed to precipitating the Civil War in Syria today.
The mass migration of Syrian refugees to neighboring countries and beyond during this conflict may be only a preview of the vast numbers of climate refugees that global warming will create in the coming years. Climate change and peace are intimately connected. Even the Defense Department sees climate change as a “threat multiplier.” One cannot hope for long term stability and peace without addressing the climate crisis.
Such an effort will require global cooperation. The U.N. Climate Change talks in Paris last December were an important step in coming to international consensus about the reality of human caused climate change. While all parties agreed on the importance of keeping temperature rises below two degrees Celsius difference from their pre-industrial levels, these talks did not lay a binding and enforceable framework to keep countries such as China, India, and the U.S. from veering away from the agreement.
We must put pressure on our leaders to address the climate crisis. Massachusetts Peace Action emphasizes the multiple connections between issues of climate and peace.
Conversion. Our society and economy must undergo a fundamental conversion to reach a peaceful future beyond fossil fuels. This includes a new economy based on sustainable energy sources and prioritization of peaceful objectives
Global Petroleum Supply Chain. Shipment of petroleum around the world is rendered unnecessary by renewable energy and conservation. Continued shipping of petroleum degrades the climate, and defending that supply chain has significant military costs (not just financial, but also on human life)
The U.S. Military is the single largest institutional contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Re-allocating spending away from the Military will allow pursuit of other “public goods,” and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate Change is a threat multiplier. The U.S. Department of Defense has identified climate change as a threat multiplier, and has developed programs to address the threats that it poses. Mitigating climate change will abate the multiplication of threats, and in the process reduce military spending.
Jobs at Home. U.S. military and energy practices and policies result in the creation of jobs abroad that could be in the United States. The jobs should be brought home to peaceful, sustainable pursuits.
International cooperation. To respond to climate disruption, we need increased cooperation to ensure people are taken care of, both on the community level and on the international level. We need strong international agreements that give the environment and the world economy a path forward.
Our Actions
The Massachusetts Peace Action Climate Change task force works with several environmental organizations to promote events and awareness of climate change issues. In addition, MAPA works with these other groups to protest continued destruction of the environment without concern from corporations or the government.
Learn more about the Climate and Peace Working Group
Read the 2017 Work Plan for Climate and Peace