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'Israel' turns Gaza to rubble, planet Earth pays deadly carbon price

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
30 May 2025 12:33
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A new study exposes the environmental devastation caused by "Israel’s" genocide in Gaza, highlighting the massive carbon toll of airstrikes, logistics, and reconstruction.

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Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP)

A study shared exclusively with The Guardian reveals that the carbon emissions from "Israel's" war on Gaza have exceeded the annual greenhouse gas output of more than 100 countries. Over the first 15 months of the aggression, emissions from destruction, military operations, and planned reconstruction in Gaza are estimated to surpass 31 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).

The study, conducted by researchers from the UK and the US and published on the Social Science Research Network, underscores the Israeli war's carbon footprint as a significant, though often overlooked, dimension of the war’s devastation. The emissions surpass the combined 2023 totals of countries such as Costa Rica and Estonia.

Despite the magnitude of these emissions, there is no requirement under current UN climate protocols for countries to report military-related carbon output.

The environmental toll of the war is overwhelmingly attributed to "Israel’s" military actions. According to the study, 99% of the 1.89 million tCO2e generated from October 7, 2023, to the January 2025 ceasefire resulted from Israeli airstrikes, ground assaults, and supporting logistics.

US is complicit, too

Nearly 30% of war-related emissions came from US arms shipments, with 50,000 tonnes of weapons and supplies flown in, primarily from European stockpiles. Israeli tanks, aircraft, and artillery contributed a further 20%, including fuel usage and the production and detonation of munitions.

In contrast, rocket fire and infrastructure linked to Palestinian Resistance groups accounted for only 0.2% of emissions, around 3,000 tCO2e.

Climate cost of rebuilding Gaza

Beyond immediate emissions, the environmental damage will escalate as Gaza begins reconstruction. With over 60 million tonnes of rubble, rebuilding efforts are projected to produce 29.4 million tCO2e, a figure that rivals Afghanistan’s total emissions in 2023.

Before the war, Gaza was recognized for its high share of solar power use, with up to 25% of electricity sourced from solar panels. Today, "Israel" destroyed most of that capacity, along with the territory’s only power plant. The result is a shift toward diesel-powered generators, which alone generated 130,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, or 7% of total conflict emissions.

Furthermore, the Israeli destruction of renewable energy infrastructure in Gaza marks a regression in environmental sustainability and adds to the long-term climate damage in the Strip. The study indicates a significant setback for localized climate adaptation efforts, now replaced with more polluting, less resilient alternatives.

Environmental impact of 'Israel's' aggression on Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran

The study also examined the broader environmental impact of war in the region. In Lebanon, the Israeli aggression produced 3,747 tCO2e, of which 90% came from Israeli airstrikes, while only 8% was linked to Hezbollah rocket launches. In Yemen, Israeli strikes produced about 2,750 tons of planet-warming greenhouse gases.

Missile exchanges with Iran produced approximately 5,000 tCO2e, with "Israel" responsible for 80% of the total emissions, according to the study.

According to the report, even aid efforts contributed to emissions. Roughly 70,000 trucks allowed into Gaza during the war produced over 40% of emissions tied to fuel and transport, though the UN described this aid as grossly insufficient.

Overall, researchers estimate that the long-term climate cost of "Israel’s" military destruction in Gaza is equivalent to charging 2.6 billion smartphones or operating 84 gas-fired power plants for a full year.

Gaps in military emissions accountability

Despite the massive carbon output, military carbon emissions remain underreported. "Israel’s" military budget rose to $46.5 billion in 2024, the largest global increase that year. Even without accounting for war-related emissions, "Israel’s" military emitted 6.5 million tCO2e, exceeding the entire carbon footprint of countries like Eritrea.

The study uses an advanced Scope 3+ methodology, incorporating direct and indirect emissions from conflict zones. Researchers noted the data are likely conservative, citing severe restrictions on media access and information from Gaza.

“The updated research evidences the urgency to stop the escalating atrocities, and make sure that Israel and all states comply with international law,” said Astrid Puentes, UN Special Rapporteur on the environment. She emphasized the global threat posed by the climate fallout of wars.

Zena Agha of Al-Shabaka described the data as a stark reminder of the military-industrial complex’s climate cost, calling "Israel’s" war part of a larger pattern of environmental destabilization backed by Western powers.

Hadeel Ikhmais, from the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority, concluded, “Wars not only kill people but also release toxic chemicals, destroy infrastructure, pollute soil, air, and water resources, and accelerate climate and environmental disasters. Not counting carbon emissions is a black hole in accountability that allows governments to get away from their environmental crimes.”