War & emissions: The climate costs of conflict

On Energy Evolution this week, Eklavya Gupte and Rosemary Griffin examine the often-overlooked environmental ramifications of military conflicts as we mark the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. Lennard de Klerk, who has studied the climate impact of this war, gives us some insights into how warfare, fuel consumption, forest fires, attacks on energy infrastructure and the estimated costs of rebuilding Ukraine have led to a surge in greenhouse gas emissions. As concerns around the climate costs of war have intensified, there have been wider calls for military emissions to be calculated and included in international reporting. We speak to Patrick Bigger, research director at the Climate and Community Institute, and Benjamin Neimark, a senior lecturer at the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London, to learn more about the growing carbon footprint of militaries globally. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy, and episodes are now published on Tuesdays.