International Desk: From jet fuel used in bombing raids to toxic black smoke from burning oil depots, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is having a serious negative impact on nature and the climate.
AFP news agency.
AFP spoke to experts about the negative impact of war on the environment. Here are some of the damage that war usually goes unnoticed:
Bombers and warships
Benjamin Neimark of Queen Mary University of London said that US and Israeli aircraft are using huge amounts of fuel to reach the Gulf region and carry out operations in Iran. The deployment of stealth bombers and fighter jets day and night is emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which is warming the world even more.
Neimark told AFP, “A large fleet of the US Navy has been deployed here for a long time. This vast army requires a lot of energy to feed, house and operate around the clock. These floating cities are largely fuel-dependent.
While most large aircraft carriers are nuclear-powered, others use polluting diesel generators. Experts consider everything from the production of weapons to post-war reconstruction to assess the environmental impact of war.
According to a study published in the journal One Earth, the Gaza conflict has produced about 33 million tons of carbon dioxide. That’s the equivalent of the exhaust fumes from 7.6 million gasoline-powered cars, or the annual emissions of a small country like Jordan.
On the other hand, the war in Ukraine has emitted more than 300 million tons of carbon, which is the same as France’s annual emissions. The calculation, by the Initiative on GHG Accounting of War, includes military operations, reconstruction work, forest fires and long-haul flights.
Climate risks
The war is mainly taking place in the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for oil and gas supplies to global markets.
The highly flammable ships that travel through this narrow passage, the region’s oil and gas refineries and storage facilities, have now become targets of war, Neimark said.
“This conflict is different,” he added. “We have already seen attacks on many refineries. The toxic fumes coming out of these facilities are very deadly and pose a huge threat to the climate.”
For example, during the first Gulf War in the 1990s, it took months to put out the fires in Kuwait’s oil wells. Between 130 and 400 million tons of carbon dioxide were released.
Far-reaching effects
The price of oil has been rising sharply since the war began on February 28. As a result, the global trend towards environmentally friendly and clean fuels has come under renewed discussion.
Andreas Rudinger of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations says the economic impact of the war is making policymakers more concerned with reducing prices than protecting the climate. Brussels is under pressure to loosen its emissions policies. On the other hand, many countries are taking steps to provide people with cheaper fuel.
But Rudinger sees a positive side. “From an economic perspective, when fossil fuel prices rise, people are more attracted to electricity or other alternatives. For example, heat pumps became more popular in Europe after the war in Ukraine when fuel prices rose.”
Pollution risks
In addition to climate change, attacks on energy infrastructure, oil tankers and military installations are polluting the surrounding air and water. Dangerous toxic chemicals are being released.
Last week, the sky was covered in toxic black smoke after an attack on a fuel depot in Tehran. The entire capital was plunged into darkness.
Mathilde Jourde of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) said that the air, water and soil are being severely contaminated by attacks on nuclear and military installations.
Doug Weir, director of the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), told AFP: “We are only scratching the surface of the problem. Hundreds of damaged installations in Iran and neighboring countries pose an extreme risk to the environment and public health. We are particularly concerned about the sensitive marine environment of the Persian Gulf.”
Views: 5
