The environment — another casualty of war in Middle East

2026-03-16 - 03:24

• Experts say military hardware’s carbon footprint is staggering; conflicts’ carbon toll rivals yearly emissions of nations • Strikes spread toxins, polluting air, water, soil; toxic flames from burning oil depots and tankers pose direct threats, carry severe climate cost PARIS: From jet fuel used in bombing raids to acrid smoke from burning oil depots, the conflict in the Middle East is inflicting a significant toll on nature and the climate, an environmental cost of war that experts say often goes under the radar. The use of military hardware alone adds a significant amount of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. US and Israeli aircraft use a considerable amount of fuel reaching the Gulf and flying sorties over Iran, said Benjamin Neimark at the Queen Mary University of London. “The US Navy also has a significant fleet which will be operating remotely for some time,” Neimark told AFP. “That is a significant number of US troops that need to be fed, housed, and working around the clock. These floating cities all need energy.” This is provided in part by polluting diesel generators, even if most larger aircraft carriers are nuclear powered, an energy source that produces far less emissions than fossil fuels. But many experts take into account everything from the manufacture of arms and explosives to post-war reconstruction efforts when estimating the total environmental impact of conflict. According to one study published in the peer-reviewed journal One Earth, the Gaza conflict generated some 33m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent to the annual emissions of a small country like Jordan. And by one estimate, the war in Ukraine has caused more than 300 million tonnes of additional emissions — equivalent to France’s annual output. This estimate, by the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War, takes into account military operations and reconstruction efforts, forest fires, and longer flight routes. Climate cost This conflict is playing out on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for the passage of oil and gas supplies to global markets dependent on energy from the Gulf. Ships transporting these highly flammable fuels through the narrow waterway — along with the region’s oil and gas refineries and storage facilities — were “all a target” in this war, said Neimark. “Clearly this conflict is different,” he said. “We have already seen a significant amount of refineries targeted. These toxic flames are deadly and have a severe climate cost.” The oil wells set ablaze in Kuwait in the 1990s during the first Gulf War took months to extinguish and released an estimated 130 to 400 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Since Feb 28, the conflict has sent oil prices soaring and focused fresh attention on the global transition to cleaner, more climate-friendly forms of energy. Andreas Rudinger, from the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, said the war’s economic knock-on effects put policy-makers “under pressure to reduce the burden on prices over climate action”. Brussels faced pressure to relax its emissions trading rules in response to surging energy prices, while other governments took steps to help motorists fill up at the pump. But there’s also a glass half-full perspective, said Rudinger. “From a purely economic standpoint... rising fossil fuel prices make decarbonization and electrification solutions attractive,” he said. Pollution risks Apart from climate concerns, strikes on energy infrastructure, oil tankers and military targets pollute the surrounding air and water and spread highly toxic chemicals far and wide, experts say. Attacks on fuel depots in Tehran plunged the capital into darkness as poisonous black clouds rose from burning oil facilities. Mathilde Jourde from the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) said targeting nuclear, military and energy sites had “extremely polluting” consequences. “We’re just scratching the surface but can already see there are hundreds of damaged facilities in Iran and neighbouring states that pose pollution risks to people and environment,” said Conflict and Environment Observatory Director Doug Weir. “We have particular concerns around damaged oil infrastructure, military facilities and sensitive marine environment of Persian Gulf.” Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2026