I’m not here to issue a prescriptive call to action with “three easy steps” or “here’s what you need to do.” Instead, I want to encourage debate with objectivity, non-partisan intent, and rigor. Together, let’s consider the pragmatic reasons a company or country would stay the course on sustainability, along with potential reasons not to.

Top considerations include:

1. Regulation forces disclosure in the U.S. and globally

2. Destabilization of insurance markets raises challenges

3. Stranded assets pose massive financial risks

4. Litigation risks mount for multi-nationals

5. Restructured supply chains open doors to sustainability measures

6. U.S. businesses need consistent access to critical minerals that reflect American values

7. AI can help reduce costs in achieving sustainability goals

8. Employees push companies to stick their sustainability commitments

9. Industry leaders continue with their goals, sustainability sells

10. Shared American values and tradition create a middle ground

With so much at stake, business leaders and policymakers must bring a commonsense approach to assessing fundamental questions about our national security priorities and their connectivity to environmental security and economic prosperity.