Invisible damage: From stratosphere to marine life, impact of ongoing wars pervasive & long-term

Amid the ongoing humanitarian crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and Israel, a quieter but equally serious issue is emerging alongside the conflict: The environmental cost of war.

Bombing campaigns, the destruction of infrastructure, and fires at industrial sites release massive quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Toxic substances don’t just linger in the air; they also seep into soils and water bodies, with long-term consequences that often go unnoticed.

Globally, militaries are responsible for around 5.5 per cent of total emissions. If considered a single country, they would rank as the fourth-largest emitter in the world, even ahead of Russia, according to The Guardian.

Yet, military emissions are not consistently reported, and countries are currently not required to disclose them. Activities such as troop movements, missile launches, bombings, and the destruction of infrastructure, including power plants, contribute significantly to emissions. There is also the added risk of pollution from damaged nuclear facilities.

On June 13, 2025, Israel launched attacks on several Iranian nuclear and military sites. The strikes targeted Natanz and Fordow, both of which house uranium enrichment plants. While no significant off-site nuclear contamination has been reported so far, a strike on Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr, located on the Gulf Coast, could result in a full-scale radiological catastrophe.

This, James Acton told Reuters, could pose a serious threat to Gulf nations, with risks of contamination to key drinking water sources and fragile marine ecosystems.

The war has also damaged fossil fuel infrastructure. In Tehran, a major fire broke out at an oil refinery, and another engulfed the Shahran fuel depot, a key distribution hub.

Fires at such sites release a complex mix of pollutants—including particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds. These substances pose serious risks to human health and local ecosystems.

Missiles themselves also emit harmful substances such as aluminium oxide, black carbon, and reactive nitrogen and chlorine gases—some of which can contribute to ozone layer depletion.

According to the report War on Climate, the 15-month-long conflict in Gaza resulted in 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from direct military activities alone. That is more than the annual emissions of 36 countries. If one includes the emissions from preparation and post-war reconstruction, the figure rises to over 32.2 million tonnes—exceeding the yearly emissions of more than 100 countries.

From the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 up to early 2025, a total of 230 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent have been emitted, with 55 million tonnes released in 2024 alone. That’s roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia combined—or emissions from 120 million fossil fuel vehicles.

While the world rightly focuses on the human cost of war, its consequences for the climate and ecosystems are also profound. The environmental impacts of conflict are far greater than is often acknowledged and must be addressed urgently, especially given the increasing frequency of regional armed conflicts.