War and Climate

The devastating impact of war is often measured in lives lost and homes destroyed, but there is one consequence that is often overlooked – climate impact. In the BBC World Service’s The Climate Podcast, experts Dr. Benjamin Neimark of Queen Mary University and Neta Crawford, author of The Pentagon, Climate Change and War look at the overall carbon cost of war and of militaries in peace time.

Neimark says that the overall carbon cost of the war in Gaza is 33 million tons of carbon dioxide released. Much of that came from jet fuel and tank diesel. There is also significant hidden emissions from concrete, the largest of which comes from reconstruction.

Now with the Iran War, the U.S. and militaries around the world are manufacturing more weapons which require more materials that boost emissions. Even in peacetime, the global military sector produces 5% of global emissions. The U.S. at peacetime produces 47 million metric tons of annual emissions.

The military has moved away from coal to natural gas. Real savings happen when operations are reduced and bases are closed. The best solution is arms control and reduction and a commitment to diplomacy.

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Posted by Donna Gerhauser