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Overview 

Not all that glitters is gold, as they say. And so are the claims made by some institutions about sustainability.

‍Rolling Hills, Green Pastures commentary is timely due to real-life efforts by the U.S military to tackle climate change, a rising trend among global militaries. Many have yet to fully disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. This raises an important question: if institutions say they’re going green, how can we verify claims without data transparency? 

Secondly, is it enough to go green but ignore social and human rights? By framing climate change as a national security threat, global militaries have justified the need for more investments in their operations and border security projects in anticipation of increased migration. This poses another set of ethical questions around the role of the military in addressing the global climate crisis.  

We may be entering a future where military forces composed of Halo-like soldiers armed with “next-generation technologies” defending their nations against climate change (and climate refugees).  

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Opening the Discussion

Whether you are hosting a private or public event, consider allowing the audience a few moments to reflect on what they have heard and to quietly organize their thoughts before beginning a discussion. You may provide a general prompt (see examples below) that may support their thinking:

• What are three words to describe your impressions of the play? 
• What insights did it provide (in relation to climate change)? 
• What parts surprised you or moved you? 

Consider spending a few minutes (3-5 mins) discussing some of the responses to these questions, before transitioning to the discussion prompts below. 

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Discussion Prompts

• What do you think about the U.S military (or any major government institution) greening their operations? In your opinion, will this adequately address climate change? Why or why not?
• What are some examples of greenwashing? Why is it problematic? 
• Many institutions have now adopted “green marketing” strategies that may not align with their actual practices, or worse distract from social harm caused by its operations (see our resources below). What are a few ways institutions can become more transparent about their operations? 

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Resources

Curious about this topic? Check out these resources: 

• Climate Collateral is a report that critically explores military spending and how it may adversely impact the capacity for countries to address the climate crisis. 
• Here is an Indigenous perspective about the connection between U.S militarism and climate change. 
• Does your government report its military’s emissions? Find out by checking out “The Military Emissions Gap” project. 
•  You can learn more about how global militaries are framing this issue by visiting the website of The International Military Council on Climate and Security, a group of senior military leaders, security experts, and security institutions across the globe dedicated to anticipating, analyzing, and addressing the security risks of a changing climate”. 
• This article discusses a report on increased military spending on border militarization projects. 
• Also, the world’s military expenses have reached over a trillion dollars. 

For more resources, check-out our Take Action page on our website.  

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Take Action

Support climate refugees by visiting https://www.climate-refugees.org

Want to do more? Consider donating to these climate organizations or supporting their campaigns. 

• Wilderness Committee
• Dogwood BC
• 350.org