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green new fight

Elizabeth Warren has a climate change plan — for the military

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) hasn't rolled out a full environmental policy just yet, but she does have one for the American military.

The policy-happy 2020 candidate debuted another plan on Wednesday, this one breaking down how climate disasters recently damaged three U.S. military bases to the tune of billions of dollars. Under her new plan, Warren says she'll direct bases around the world to better prepare for these events, and also push the Pentagon to "achieve net zero carbon emissions for all its non-combat bases and infrastructure by 2030," she wrote in a blog post.

Citing a few national disasters, Warren states that "climate change is already impacting the way the Pentagon operates" in her blog post. Climate disasters are "undermining our military readiness" while also exacerbating the potential for conflict wordwide, like how previously iced-over sea routes may spark international fights for access, Warren continues.

The military is also worsening the climate crisis itself, Warren says, citing how it consumes billions of dollars worth of fossil fuels every year. So Warren is proposing a "dedicated source of funding to adapt our bases in the United States and around the world" for climate disasters, and also pledging to appoint senior officials to monitor environmental efficiency throughout the military.

Warren has signed on to support the Green New Deal and says her military policy is "consistent" with it. Some critics took issue with how Warren's proposal frames climate change as something that's harming the military's mission instead of pledging to cut the massive defense budget altogether. Read Warren's whole proposal here.