War's Environmental Toll: Military Emissions Fuel Climate Crisis
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Dr. Benjamin Neimark argues in the British Medical Journal that accurate data on greenhouse gas emissions from armed conflicts is urgently needed to hold militaries accountable for their climate impact. His research shows significant emissions from wars in Iran, Ukraine, and Gaza, highlighting the military's disproportionate contribution to the climate crisis. Neimark calls for mandatory reporting of military emissions to provide evidence for legal action and set reduction targets.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Dr. Benjamin Neimark calls for accurate data on greenhouse gas emissions from armed conflicts.
- Emissions from the first 14 days of the Iran war exceeded Iceland's 2024 total.
- Five years of fighting in Ukraine emitted 311 million tons of CO2, equal to France's annual output.
- Gaza's "Swords of Iron" war produced over 30 million tons of CO2 in 15 months.
- Military emissions reporting has been voluntary since the 2015 Paris Agreement.
- Neimark urges mandatory reporting of military emissions for accountability and legal evidence.
Ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, Dr. Benjamin Neimark of Queen Mary University of London has called for urgent, accurate data on greenhouse gas emissions from armed conflicts. Writing in the British Medical Journal, Neimark argues that such data is crucial for holding militaries, governments, and individuals accountable for the environmental impact of warfare.
Neimark, a senior lecturer in geopolitical ecology, focuses his research on the intersection of politics, economics, and the environment, particularly the ecological effects of military operations and global supply chains. He asserts that understanding the scale of emissions from conflicts is a vital first step in addressing the military's disproportionate contribution to the climate crisis.
His research highlights staggering figures: in the first 14 days of the war in Iran, climate pollution equivalent to Iceland's entire 2024 emissions was generated, approximately 5 million tons of carbon dioxide. Over five years of fighting in Ukraine, nearly 311 million tons of CO2 were emitted, comparable to France's annual emissions. In Gaza, the first 15 months of the "Swords of Iron" war produced over 30 million tons of CO2, an amount equivalent to the carbon absorbed by forests covering about 134,000 square kilometers annually.
These emissions stem from various sources, including fossil fuels burned by combat and transport aircraft, tanks, and naval vessels, as well as indirect emissions from powering bases, manufacturing weapons, troop deployment, and post-conflict reconstruction. Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aimed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, military emissions reporting related to conflicts has been voluntary, forcing researchers to conduct their own assessments.
Neimark references a 2025 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice affirming governments' legal responsibility to protect the climate system. Although military emissions weren't explicitly detailed, a supplementary statement indicated that state obligations include addressing impacts from armed conflicts and other military activities. While legal actions have been filed against polluters contributing to climate change, no lawsuits have yet targeted militaries for climate-related emissions.
"The data from the research are essential to provide a clearer picture of the environmental costs of war, not just economic costs, but also the price paid by humans and the climate system upon which they depend," Neimark stated. He believes such data can serve as evidence in court to assign responsibility and help set emission reduction targets, urging governments to mandate military reporting of emissions during both peace and war.