The war in Israel and Gaza has produced devastating effects. According to the Gaza health authority, almost 23,000 Palestians have been killed, 85% of the population has been displaced and facing food and water shortages, and hundreds of Israeli soldiers have been killed.
The devastating conflict in Israel and Gaza has started a new conversation along with a number of others. The carbon footprint of the war has concerned many as it could rapidly increase the effects of climate change.“The military’s environmental exceptionalism allows them to pollute with impunity” says Benjamin Neimark, a UK researcher who helped publish a study on the climate effects of the war.
UK and US climate researchers estimated that the first two months of the war in Gaza emitted more greenhouse gasses than 20 of the most climate vulnerable countries do annually. Another study done by Conflict and Environment Observatory and Scientists for Global Responsibility, indicates that an entire “scope” of emissions is being forgotten in most military measurements. The left out numbers are a result of activities not directly controlled by an organization. This not only suggests the war in Gaza’s carbon footprint could be five or six times higher than it is, it suggests the global footprint could be much higher than we think.
Images courtesy of Conflict and Environment Observatory and Scientists for Global Responsibility.
Previous studies show that measurements including the lost emissions, war infrastructure, and Israel’s “Iron Wall” could exceed the carbon footprint of 33 countries and territories. In the first 60 days of the war, over 280,000 tonnes of carbon were emitted. Most of these emissions have come from planes and military aircrafts flying over the Gaza strip. Of the almost 255,000 flights in the first 60 days, 134,000 of those flights were US supply crafts.
Almost 99% of the war’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to Israel’s aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack. The attack caused infrastructure to collapse, human lives to be lost, and an astounding amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
The incredible footprint of this war has brought attention to military greenhouse gas emissions, rebuilding of the levant region, and lost numbers globally. The climate will suffer greatly from the emissions generated when the levant region is stable enough to rebuild. Nearly 45% of Gaza’s buildings have been destroyed including; homes, hospitals, and schools. The climate cost to rebuild almost half of the territory is similar to New Zealand’s annual carbon emissions totaling 30 million metric tonnes. This number only covers the hundreds of thousands of damaged buildings in Gaza.
The war in Gaza and Israel continues to emit a large carbon footprint, which will leave lasting effects on the Levant Region. The conflict only closes the gap for positive action to be taken towards the climate. David Boyd, the UN special rapporteur for human rights and the environment, says it well. “This research helps us understand the immense magnitude of military emissions – from preparing for war, carrying out war and rebuilding after war. Armed conflict pushes humanity even closer to the precipice of climate catastrophe, and is an idiotic way to spend our shrinking carbon budget”.