How Does War Contribute to Climate Change?

Quite a lot.

Photo by Ihor OINUA on Unsplash

The Russian conflict in the Ukraine is a tragedy for a country of 41.25 million people.

We know war brings grave risks to a country’s people and environment. What is less known are the carbon emissions levels, which will influence global stability in the long-term and distant future.

There’s no doubt a war in Ukraine will affect global greenhouse gas emissions.

Direct emission trends during past wars

We see thick plumes of smoke across cities in Ukraine. If a war continues, the Conflict and Environment Observatory explains, emissions increase in direct and indirect ways.

Here are some past trends:

• Oil production, storage or transportation infrastructure is a target of fighting or weaponized, as seen in Colombia, Libya, Syria and Iraq.
• Fires and spills generate direct emissions. During the 1991 Gulf War’s oil fires contributed over 2% of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions that year, with long-lasting consequences.
• Pollution from these fires sped up melting of Tibetan glaciers through soot deposited on the ice.
• Vegetation can also be a target of warfare, with the carbon it stores released when removed.