The Russian invasion of Ukraine it doesn’t just sow destruction and death. The devastation caused has an enormous climate impact, exceeding the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 175 countries. This is the tragic conclusion of the most comprehensive study ever conducted on the climate effects of conflict, led by the Initiative on War Greenhouse Gas Accounting (IGGAW).
In just two years, the conflict has generated at least 175 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCo2e), we read in the Guardian. This includes emissions from direct warfare, landscape burning, rerouted flights, forced migration and the destruction of energy infrastructure. The impact is comparable to the annual emissions of countries such as Netherlands, Venezuela and Kuwait. Methane released into the ocean by the destruction of pipelines Nord Stream 2 added 14 million tCo2e, while sulfur hexafluoride, a very potent greenhouse gas, increased the count by a further 40 tonnes.
The devastating impact of war emissions in Ukraine
Reconstruction, necessary to repair destroyed infrastructure, will add further environmental burden. The process is expected to require huge amounts of carbon-intensive steel and concrete, further exacerbating the climate emergency. Some reconstructions have already begun, but in many cases the replaced structures have been destroyed again, making the reconstruction cycle an ongoing source of emissions. The IGGAW analysis estimates that the Russia faces a $32 billion climate remediation bill for the first 24 months of the war. This calculation is based on a social cost of carbon of $185 per ton of greenhouse gas emissions. The international community, led by the United Nations, is pushing for Russia to compensate Ukraine by including climate emissions in the damage registers.
The conflict has also exacerbated global emissions by increasing diverted flights and the forced migration of millions of people. The extra miles flown by commercial aircraft and the movement of 7 million Ukrainians and Russians generated an additional 24 million tCO2e. European and American airlines, banned from Russian airspace, are forced to fly longer routes, significantly increasing their fuel consumption. “Russia is not only harming Ukraine, but also our climate,” he said Lennard de Klerk of IGGAW. Global military emissions are already sizable, accounting for 5.5% of total annual emissions, higher than those from the aviation and shipping sectors combined. However, the lack of transparency and accurate data hinders a full understanding of the impact.
Russia’s climate debt: $32 billion
One of the most alarming aspects of the report is the increase in landscape fires, which have devastated fields and forests along the border. These fires, linked directly to military activities, accounted for 13% of the total carbon cost. The redeployment of foresters, firefighters and equipment has further aggravated the situation, with small fires spiraling out of control across the country. Russia has deliberately targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, generating massive leaks of potent greenhouse gases. The methane released into the ocean after the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines had a devastating impact, while an additional 40 tonnes of SF6 (equivalent to around 1 million tonnes of CO2) were estimated to have been released into the atmosphere due to the attacks Russians on Ukraine’s high-voltage grid facilities. SF6 is used to insulate electrical equipment and has a warming potential nearly 23,000 times that of carbon dioxide.
The forced movement of people, whether to escape the horrors of war or conscription, generated further emissions. Beyond 5 million Ukrainians they sought refuge in Europe, while millions of internally displaced people and Russians fleeing Russia further contributed to the toll of 3.3 million tCO2e. “The new monetary estimate of climate damage highlights the important role of greenhouse gas emissions that take into account conflicts,” he said Linsey Cottrellresponsible for environmental policy at theObservatory on conflicts and the environment. “We have a fundamental international agreement on how conflicts and military emissions are measured and addressed.”
The burden of the reconstruction of Ukraine on the climate
The IGGAW report represents a crucial document, providing a clear snapshot of the climate consequences of war, lifting the veil that obscures the environmental costs of conflict. “It is an essential benchmark for the reparations we are building against Russia,” he said Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection of Ukraine. In summary, while governments continue to underestimate the climate cost of war, IGGAW’s report represents an important step towards global awareness and accountability for the environmental damage caused by conflicts. The challenge now is to translate this awareness into concrete actions to mitigate the devastating impact on our planet.
