The Hidden Environmental
Impact of War
In the pursuit of environmental sustainability, discussions often revolve around industries, transportation, and individual carbon footprints. However, a significant contributor remains shrouded in silence – the carbon footprint of war.
The Global Military Carbon Footprint:
Military activities contribute substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 5.5% of the world's total, as estimated by international experts in 2022 (Reuters, 2023).
Shockingly, these emissions largely escape scrutiny, as militaries are not bound by international climate agreements to report or reduce their carbon footprint. The limited data that is made available is often unreliable or incomplete.
One of the primary reasons for the lack of transparency in military emissions is the exemption of military activities abroad from international climate agreements. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 and the Paris Accords of 2015 omitted military emissions, citing concerns that revealing such data could compromise national security. The absence of comprehensive reporting mechanisms hampers efforts to understand and mitigate the environmental impact of armed conflicts.
As of now, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has not outlined concrete plans to amend guidance on military emissions accounting. However, the issue may be discussed in future summits. Bridging this information gap is essential for formulating effective strategies to address military-induced environmental consequences.
A recent report by Dutch carbon accounting expert Lennard de Klerk estimated that the first 12 months of the war in Ukraine would result in a net increase of 120 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. This staggering figure is equivalent to the annual output of Singapore, Switzerland, and Syria combined. It underscores the urgency of understanding and quantifying the environmental toll of armed conflicts (Reuters, 2023)
Beyond emissions, warfare also affects land use and vegetation, contributing to climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 23% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions arise from agriculture, forestry, and land use changes. Warfare can target vegetation, releasing stored carbon when it is removed. Historical examples include the use of chemical defoliants in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, resulting in significant forest loss. Recent incidents, such as the burning of forests in Nagorno-Karabakh, further highlight the intricate connection between warfare and environmental degradation (CEOBS, 2023).
War and the Carbon Footprint: A Deeper Dive:
Digging deeper into the issue, war significantly contributes to climate change through three main avenues: fossil fuel use, ecosystem destruction, and military equipment production.
War relies heavily on fossil fuels to power military vehicles, aircraft, and operate bases. The burning of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change.
War often results in the destruction of ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, which play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide. Their destruction intensifies the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The production of military equipment, energy-intensive and emissions-producing, adds to the carbon footprint of war. A single tank's production can emit as much greenhouse gas as a passenger car driven for 50 years.
The Expanding Carbon Footprint:
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated that the global military sector produced 2.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in 2018. This amount equates to the annual emissions of Spain and Italy combined. The carbon footprint of war continues to grow, with the Uppsala University reporting a 60% increase in the US military's carbon footprint between 2001 and 2018. This increase is due to factors such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the increasing use of drones and other military technologies (SIPRI, 2019; Uppsala University, 2023).
Conclusion:
Exposing the carbon footprint of war is not just an environmental necessity but a critical call to address the social repercussions of global conflicts. As climate consultants, we vehemently advocate for heightened transparency in reporting military emissions, acknowledging the devastating impact these armed confrontations have on our environment and society. By unraveling the concealed costs of war, we aim to fuel urgent discussions and drive substantial actions that pave the way for a more environmentally and socially responsible future.
References:
Reuters. (2023, July 10). World's war greenhouse gas emissions have military blind spot. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/worlds-war-greenhouse-gas-emissions-has-military-blind-spot-2023-07-10/#:~:text=Among%20the%20world's%20biggest%20consumers,2022%20estimate%20by%20international%20experts.
CEOBS. (2023). How does war contribute to climate change? Retrieved from https://ceobs.org/how-does-war-contribute-to-climate-change/
SIPRI. (2019). Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/fs_1904_milex_2018.pdf
