Sneaky War Engines: How NATO's Agenda Wrecks the Planet's Climate
Accelerated Military Arsenal Development by NATO Negatively Impacts the Earth - Military Equipment from NATO Contributing to Global Environmental Degradation
By Christine Leitner* Reading Time: Approx. 5 minutes
Der Spiegel Warns: Nations pledged to curb carbon emissions via the Paris Climate Agreement. The goal: Achieve climate neutrality by 2050. However, the military's hidden contribution to climate change is a blind spot, threatening to sabotage all efforts.
A quick look at the recent escalations - Putin's Ukraine invasion, the Gaza conflict, Israel's skirmish with Iran - reveals the obvious: Wars flames in the last few years have seen colossal carbon releases. But how much? Secrecy cloaks military data, making measurements tricky. Estimates suggest that globe's armed forces, led by NATO, emit around 5-6% of worldwide CO2[3]. If NATO was a country, its carbon footprint would place it amongst the planet's major polluters[4].
A research team, including members from Transnational Institute, Tipping Point North South, and IPPNW, dives deeper, scrutinizing the global military race's impact on our warming planet. We exclusively got a pre-publication look at their findings.
Military Spending Boom Fuels Emissions Boom
NATO's military spending has soared by 25% within recent years[2]. Correspondingly, its ecological footprint has surged by 40%. If member states stick to the 2% military spending ratio, emissions could spike at least 4x in the upcoming years[2]. Yet, such escalations pose a grave danger to our climate objectives[4].
The EU needs to lower 134 million tonnes of CO2 annually from 1990 levels to halve emissions by 2030[5]. However, military spending aims tip this delicate balance. Laura Wunder, IPPNW climate and health justice expert, warns, "We can't jack up military spending without endangering our climate goals[4].
NATO's Money Talks a Huge Climate Foul
Scientists foresee around $13.4 trillion pouring into NATO modernization over the next five years[3]. That staggering sum could shift the entire world's power supply to carbon-neutral or cover climate measures in less developed regions for three years[3]. However, nations haven't openly admitted to this shift as military expenses balloon.
The Arms Race Outruns Disarmament
NGOs and peace researchers fail to uncover the true extent of military and war's impact on the planet. Calculated emissions only factor in equipment production and distribution, not actual use. Factoring in bombings, assaults, and the like, actual emissions skyrocket. Astonishingly, Putin's Ukraine invasion alone has released around 230 million tons of CO2 – the equivalent of Spain's entire annual emissions[3].
Thus, the study authors call on NATO to disarm immediately. However, with military tensions spiking and conflicts in full swing, this sounds like wishful thinking. Even world leaders like Vladimir Putin or Benjamin Netanyahu are unlikely to listen to such advice[4].
Climate Summit TIME: A War-Free Future
Wars are increasingly attracting attention as climate killers, partly thanks to initiatives like the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's "Russian eco-genocide" platform. It's the first time a war's environmental damage has been systematically documented[4]. At COP27 in Egypt, Zelensky emphasized the environmental devastation wrought by the Russian invasion, prompting calls for a ceasefire in the name of the planet.
The Dubai Declaration of Peace, Recovery, and Resilience, adopted in 2023, touches on the intersection of conflict, climate crisis, and humanitarian disaster[4]. At COP29 in Azerbaijan in 2024, the Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief, and Recovery was signed, advocating for disarmament and peace initiatives in light of climate change[4].
IPPNW's Laura Wunder remains hopeful. "We need to stop accelerating military spending. A 3.5% hike is senseless," she says[4].
References:
- Emissions of NATO countries
- Military spending surge in NATO
- Brookings Institution Military Spending
- Der Spiegel: NATO as Climate Killer
- EU Climate Target Plan 2050
- The hidden contribution of military emissions to climate change, as stated in the Paris Climate Agreement, poses a significant threat to the world's climate neutrality goal by 2050.
- The recent escalation of conflicts, such as Putin's Ukraine invasion and the Gaza conflict, have resulted in colossal carbon releases, contributing to climate change.
- The military's ecological footprint, led by NATO, accounts for around 5-6% of worldwide CO2 emissions, making it one of the major polluters if considered as a country.
- A research team, consisting of members from Transnational Institute, Tipping Point North South, and IPPNW, has delved deeper into the impact of the global military race on our warming planet.
- The increased military spending by NATO, which has surged by 25% in recent years, corresponds to a surge in its ecological footprint by 40%. If member states maintain the 2% military spending ratio, emissions could spike at least 4x in the upcoming years.
- The environmental damage caused by wars is becoming increasingly recognized, with initiatives like the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's "Russian eco-genocide" platform, systematically documenting the environmental impact of wars.
- IPPNW's Laura Wunder emphasizes the need for a reduction in military spending, stating that any increase in military spending could endanger our climate goals.
