Israel–Gaza war generated over 30 million tonnes of emissions, study finds

A new study published in One Earth estimates that the Israel–Gaza conflict has generated more than 30 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in just over a year, highlighting the often-overlooked climate cost of war.

The research, led by Benjamin Neimark of Queen Mary University of London, calculates that total emissions linked to the conflict reached 33.2 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent when accounting for the full conflict cycle — including pre-war infrastructure, active combat, and post-war reconstruction.

While direct emissions from military activity — such as fuel use in aircraft, vehicles, and munitions — exceeded 1.3 million tonnes, the study finds that the vast majority of emissions come from indirect sources, particularly rebuilding destroyed infrastructure.

Reconstruction alone is estimated to generate over 31 million tonnes of CO₂, driven by the need to rebuild homes, roads, and public infrastructure across Gaza. According to the paper, around 85% of post-conflict emissions are tied to damaged infrastructure, underlining the long-term environmental consequences of destruction.

The authors also highlight emissions from pre-conflict activities, such as the construction of tunnels and defensive barriers, as well as those associated with aid delivery and military supply chains. Together, these findings suggest that focusing only on battlefield emissions significantly underestimates the true climate impact of conflict.

To put the scale into perspective, the study notes that total emissions from the conflict are comparable to the annual emissions of a country like Jordan or the yearly output of millions of petrol-powered cars.

The researchers argue that military and conflict-related emissions remain a major blind spot in global climate policy and call for mandatory reporting of military emissions and greater integration of conflict-related impacts into international climate frameworks.

As geopolitical tensions rise globally, the study adds to growing evidence that war not only causes humanitarian and economic damage but also carries a significant and lasting climate cost.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332226000497