From Papua to Gaza, military occupation leads to climate catastrophe

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Al Jazeera or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Military occupations, from Gaza to West Papua, are increasingly recognized not only as sources of human suffering but as direct contributors to environmental devastation
• Recent conflicts highlight how environmental destruction is not just collateral damage but a deliberate strategy used by occupying forces to destabilize and control populations

🔭 The context: In West Papua, Indonesia's military presence has led to severe deforestation and environmental degradation, much like Israel's tactics in Gaza, where agricultural lands and essential infrastructure have been systematically destroyed
• These actions, described as "ecocide," show a consistent pattern where military objectives intertwine with environmental harm

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Military activities account for approximately 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, exceeding the emissions from entire nations
• The environmental impact of wars and occupations exacerbates climate change, threatening ecosystems and global sustainability

⏭️ What's next: As the international community grows more aware of the link between military occupation and climate damage, there may be increased pressure to address environmental justice as a key aspect of peace and conflict resolution efforts

💬 One quote: "The genocide in Gaza is also an ecocide – as is almost always the case with military campaigns," emphasizes the inseparability of human and environmental impacts in war

📈 One stat: Emissions from the first 120 days of the Gaza conflict exceeded the annual emissions of 26 countries

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