Press Release (EN/DE/FR)
COP25 Madrid – the ‘carbon boot-print’
No free pass for military emissions anymore!
Military is a climate killer!
IPB calls for countries to be obliged to cut their military emissions!
There are few activities on earth as environmentally catastrophic as waging war. One of the biggest culprits of burning oil is the military and, whenever and wherever there is a conflict or a major military exercise, the amount of oil burned increases also releasing an increased burden of smoke. War and militarism, and their associated ‘carbon boot-prints’, are severely accelerating climate change.
Regardless of what was learned about climate change through scientific research reports, little was done to include the contribution of the military to climate change or to reduce it. If we are serious on combating climate change, we need to make sure to count all carbon emissions, without having exemptions based on ‘political inconvenience’.
The military’s significant contribution to climate change has received little attention. According to a recent report from Brown University, the US military is one of the largest polluters in history, consuming more liquid fuels and emitting more climate-changing gases than many industrialized nations like Sweden or Switzerland.
This “dirty game” of not including military emissions is over!
IPB stresses the COP25 to include the military in its climate action work and to adopt provisions covering military compliance. The COP25 must include military emissions in their calculations and the CO2 emissions laundering has to stop. It should also include a blueprint to reduce military emissions.
IPB urges the State Parties to the Paris Agreement to adjust its provision to military emissions, not leaving decisions up to nation states as to which national sectors should make emissions cuts.
IPB calls for an inclusion of military greenhouse gas emission into climate change regulations. Moreover, countries need to be obliged, without exemption, to cut military emissions and transparently report them.
IPB calls for more academic studies (in line with the study from Brown University report) and an IPCC or equal special report. The report needs to be a common project of academics and the civil society.
Download the Press Release (EN) here: Press release Military carbon boot-print
Download the German version here: Pressemitteilung COP25
Download the French version here: Communiqué de presse du BIP – COP25
For more information: IPB Information Paper – the carbon boot-print