The Department of Defense (DOD), a significant energy consumer within the federal sector, is actively pursuing measures to enhance environmental sustainability in line with the targets set by Executive Order 14057 issued in December 2021. This order mandates federal agencies to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy and water efficiency, and reduce waste.
Efforts by the DOD to Align with Executive Order 14057
The DOD has laid out a structured approach and has partly developed plans to fulfill the sustainability objectives outlined in the executive order. Some of the steps taken include:
- Organizational Support: The DOD has initiated an organizational framework to assist in implementing the order’s requirements.
- Staff Allocation: Personnel have been assigned to focus on the execution of the order.
- Financial Initiatives: Increased funding has been allocated to prioritize energy resilience and conservation projects.
For instance, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environment and Energy Resilience is in the process of recruiting approximately 24 professionals with expertise across engineering, finance, and other relevant fields. The objective is to integrate installation resilience, climate adaptation, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, the Defense Logistics Agency’s Energy office is planning to enhance its workforce by hiring 20 to 28 individuals skilled in contracting, technical, data, and financial analysis to aid energy procurement for military installations.
Workforce Capacity Challenges
Notwithstanding these efforts, DOD officials have indicated that a primary impediment to the full implementation of Executive Order 14057 is the shortage of staff equipped with the necessary expertise. The goals established by this order present more ambitious targets within tighter timelines compared to previous sustainability directives. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has observed that while certain sectors within the DOD are augmenting their staff numbers, there is not yet a comprehensive department-wide assessment to determine the exact staffing needs for fulfilling the order’s mandates across all divisions, including military services.
The Need for a Comprehensive Staffing Assessment
An assessment to accurately identify staffing requirements is essential for the DOD to bridge the current workforce capacity gap. Such an evaluation would allow the department to better align its human capital planning and communicate its staffing needs to Congress, particularly during the annual budgeting cycle.
GAO’s Involvement
This analysis is part of the GAO’s commitment, as instructed by the Conference Report accompanying the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, to report on the DOD’s progress and potential challenges in achieving federal environmental sustainability targets.
The GAO’s review includes examining regulatory requirements, DOD’s planning documentation, and interviews with department officials. The goal is to understand the DOD’s strategies and hurdles in meeting the ambitious goals set forth by Executive Order 14057.
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