Neimark, Benjamin and Otu‐Larbi, Frederick and Larbi, Reuben and Bigger, Patrick and Cottrell, Linsey and de Klerk, Lennard and Shlapak, Mykola (2026) Israel-Gaza conflict carbon emissions exceeded 30 million tons. One Earth, 9 (3): 101648. ISSN 2590-3322
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventories are vital for effective climate governance. However, a decade after the Paris Agreement, significant reporting gaps still exist. Emissions associated with military activities represent one such gap, with direct emissions from conflicts frequently unreported and pre- and post-conflict emissions consistently overlooked. Insufficient accounting prevents military emissions from being included in international climate agreements, undermining climate mitigation. We use open-source data in government, think tank, and civil society reports on combat operations and military installations to assess emissions from the Israel-Gaza conflict, including pre-conflict infrastructure, active conflict, and post-conflict reconstruction. We show that scope 1 and 2 emissions of open conflict exceeded 1.3 million tons CO2 equiv by January 2025. This value rises to 33.2 million tons CO2 equiv when including scope 3+ emissions of pre- and post-conflict activities like defensive fences and reconstruction, highlighting the need for more comprehensive reporting of military emissions and their significant climate costs.