How the US critical minerals race is reshaping climate priorities
The Pentagon’s rush to secure critical minerals risks draining resources from civilian decarbonization efforts and reinforcing a militarized approach that delays urgent climate action.
Not only the United States, but an increasing number of countries are racing to secure minerals essential for next generation weapons systems, precisely when global cooperation should be strengthened to ensure a fair and just energy transition for the planet.
Study assesses US mining expansion for military purposes
A new study on resource extraction for defense use evaluates the Pentagon’s stockpile of critical minerals and how these reserves could instead support the green transition. According to the Transition Security Project, the US Department of Defense is amassing large quantities of essential minerals that are also fundamental for clean technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems.
Following the approval of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocated billions of dollars to expand defense mineral reserves, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), responsible for managing the military supply chain, has accelerated contracting activity. Many of these minerals are the same materials needed to scale the energy transition.
Critical minerals stockpiling diverts resources from clean energy
The report reveals that the DLA plans to stockpile nearly 7,500 tons of cobalt. That same amount could produce 80.2 GWh of battery capacity, more than double the current installed energy storage capacity in the United States. The agency’s planned cobalt and graphite reserves could also supply materials for almost 100,000 electric buses, roughly fifteen times the number currently operating nationwide.
The US government fears supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly amid intensifying competition with China. However, the report explains that when military priorities dictate industrial strategy, geopolitical tensions escalate and climate action pathways become distorted.
Militarization of supply chains
The Pentagon plays a decisive role in mineral acquisition and planning, exerting significant influence on national supply chains and the global competition for resources. This influence stems in part from the scale of US military power. With an annual budget nearing one trillion dollars, the United States accounts for nearly 40% of all global military spending.
The Pentagon also holds unique authority compared to other federal agencies. It can influence mineral supply chains and shape entire markets by absorbing risk, steering investment, and generating demand signals that define strategic industrial production for military purposes.
According to a recent analysis of US public funding for mining projects, the Pentagon has financed or expressed interest in at least 20 mining initiatives in the United States and Canada, totaling nearly one billion dollars since 2023.
The report argues that by acquiring these materials to strengthen the military apparatus, the Pentagon is draining resources urgently needed for climate solutions. This prioritization threatens both planetary stability and the possibility of achieving a fair energy transition.