Military expansion fuels global climate crisis and conflict rise
Military operations account for over 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. NATO's planned increase in military capacity will significantly impact the planet. The latest report from the Conflict and Environment Observatory suggests this could amount to nearly 200 million tonnes annually.
According to the report from the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), NATO's planned increase in military capacity could result in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 200 million tonnes annually. Experts highlight that such an increase in expenditure could exacerbate the climate crisis and contribute to a rise in conflicts worldwide.
Wars account for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions
According to estimates by CEOBS and a group of scientists advocating global responsibility, daily military operations could be responsible for about 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This suggests that if the armed forces worldwide were considered a single nation, it would rank fourth on the list of the planet's largest polluters.
Report co-author and climate specialist Lennard de Klerk, in an interview with the British daily "Guardian," noted that military equipment and weapons consist of a large amount of steel and aluminium, whose production is highly emissive.
According to the Polish Press Agency, three years of full-scale war led by Russia against Ukraine resulted in 260 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia combined. Meanwhile, emissions from the first 60 days of Israel's conflict in the Gaza Strip exceeded the annual emissions of 20 countries and territories.
According to Global Peace Index data, in 2023, as many as 108 countries increased their military spending. In the face of ongoing armed conflicts in 92 countries, such as Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and rising tensions between China and the USA over Taiwan, as well as worsening relations between India and Pakistan, many countries' governments are investing substantial resources in their armed forces due to fears of war outbreak.
Global military spending is increasing
In 2023, global military spending reached a record level of £2.2 trillion. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has driven a sharp increase in arms expenditures within European Union countries. From 2021 to 2024, total military spending by member states rose by over 30%. It is estimated that in 2024 it reached a value of £282 billion, which is about 1.9% of the EU countries' GDP, almost reaching NATO's target of 2%.
