The Israel-Gaza war has generated around 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), according to a new study carried out by researchers from Lancaster University and led by Queen Mary University of London.
The 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide is equivalent to the total emissions of Jordan in 2024, the annual emissions of 7.6 million petrol cars and the total carbon uptake by 33.1 million acres of forests in a year, according to a statement by the University of Lancaster.
In addition to the cost to human life, emissions from active military operations alone exceeded 1.3 million tonnes of CO₂e, including emissions associated with artillery, rockets and other military equipment, the researchers found.
The analysis also considered emissions linked to the construction of defensive infrastructure and the substantial carbon footprint associated with rebuilding damaged roads, buildings and other essential infrastructure following the conflict.
“Armed conflicts cause immense humanitarian and economic harm, but their environmental consequences are rarely quantified. Our research shows that war can generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions, from active military operations through to the rebuilding that follows,” the statement quoted lead author of the study, Benjamin Neimark from Queen Mary University of London.
“The environmental cost of conflict is immense and overlooked. By quantifying its carbon emissions, we make the invisible visible and highlight the urgent need for holistic and multi-sectoral decarbonisation efforts,” co-author Reuben Larbi from Lancaster University, said.
The researchers noted that military emissions are largely excluded from international climate reporting frameworks, meaning the environmental impact of warfare is often absent from global climate accounting.
The study called for greater transparency in the reporting of military emissions through international mechanisms such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The research was led by Queen Mary University of London and conducted in collaboration with researchers from Lancaster University, the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana, the Climate and Community Project, the Conflict and Environment Observatory, and the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War.
It has been published in the journal One Earth.