background image

War, what is it good for? Polluting the climate

author image

By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


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

🗞️ Driving the news: Wars and military activities contribute significantly to climate change, yet the Paris Agreement doesn't require nations to report their military emissions
• Sparse and secretive military data makes independent estimates challenging, leading to calls for stricter reporting

🔭 The context: The nonprofit Conflict and Environment Observatory estimates that militaries could be responsible for about 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the U.S. military emitting as much CO2 as some entire countries
• Recent conflicts, like those in Gaza and Ukraine, have emitted hundreds of thousands to millions of metric tons of CO2

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Unreported military emissions hinder global climate efforts and obscure the full extent of national carbon footprints
• Accurate reporting is crucial for effective climate action and achieving international targets

⏭️ What's next: Environmental groups and scientists are advocating for the UN to include military emissions in national climate targets and for improved transparency and reporting from governments worldwide

💬 One quote: "Our climate emergency can no longer afford to permit the ‘business as usual’ omission of military and conflict-related emissions." - Environmental organizations in a letter to the UN

📈 One stat: The first 60 days of the war in Gaza created over 281,000 metric tons of CO2

Click for more news covering the latest on carbon

Did you enjoy this illuminem voice? Support us by sharing this article!
author photo

About the author

illuminem's editorial team - providing you with concise summaries of the most important sustainability news of the day.

Follow us on Linkedin, Twitter​ & Instagram

Other illuminem Voices


Related Posts


You cannot miss it!

Weekly. Free. Your Top 10 Sustainability & Energy Posts.

You can unsubscribe at any time (read our privacy policy)