The U.S. Joint Forces Command published “The Joint Operating Environment” report which “seeks to provide the Joint Force an intellectual foundation upon which we will construct the concepts to guide our future force development.”

While many of the predictions may not be completely accurate, they are based on trends, challenges and current opportunities. The 74-page detailed report covers areas such as war in the 21st century, globalization, cyber, climate change and natural disasters to food, water and urbanization.

An alarming chapter of the report was the section on energy. “By the 2030s, oil requirements could go from 86 to 118 million barrels a day.” The report shows graphs for the projected energy resources and the future world oil production including development of new discoveries, non-conventional oil, enhanced oil resources, development of existing reserves and existing capacities.

The report summarizes the current energy crisis by stating that “energy production and distribution infrastructure must see significant new investment if energy demand is to be satisfied at a cost compatible with economic growth and prosperity.”

The report puts future energy resources into 7 different categories: non-organization of petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) oil, oil sands and shale, natural gas, biofuels, renewable, nuclear, and OPEC. The report is to remind the country of how the world is changing, and how we can make any necessary changes today that will impact the current and more importantly, future environment.

J.N. Mattis, the General of the U.S. Marines and Commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, states in the introduction letter that “there is a strong note of urgency in our efforts to balance the force for the uncertainties that lie ahead. The JOE gives focus to those efforts which must also embrace the opportunities that are inherent in the world we imperfectly forsee.”