BBC Inside Science The climate cost of war
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Dec 19, 2024 Benjamin Neimark, a senior lecturer at Queen Mary University, discusses the daunting carbon footprint of warfare, emphasizing how conflicts in places like Ukraine and Gaza significantly impact climate change. He advocates for transparency in military emissions reporting, revealing the urgent need for accurate data to assess environmental costs. Meanwhile, Sarah Facey highlights the destructive eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, which threatens Christmas tree supplies and illustrates climate change's broader ecological threats. Together, they shed light on how war and nature intertwine with dire consequences.
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Climate Costs of War
- The climate cost of war is rarely discussed, but it's crucial to understand its impact.
- Ignoring war's environmental effects overlooks the immediate climate vulnerability of affected populations.
Researching War's Carbon Footprint
- Benjamin Neimark used investigative journalism and data triangulation to study the carbon footprint of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
- He gathered information from various sources like wartime reports, think tanks, and international news.
Gaza Conflict's Environmental Toll
- Initial estimates from the first 120 days of the conflict exceeded the annual emissions of 21 small island states.
- Rebuilding Gaza after devastation could produce emissions comparable to Finland's annual output.