Enormous Carbon Emissions Linked to NATO Activities

GS3 – Environment – Climate Change

A recent report titled “Climate in the Crosshairs” has brought attention to the significant environmental consequences of NATO’s defence-related expenditures, especially the escalation in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from military operations.

• The report was jointly published by three organisations: Transnational Institute, Tipping Point North South (a social justice co-operative), and Stop Wapenhandel (an anti-weapons advocacy group).
• It estimates that NATO’s defence budget of USD 1.34 trillion is responsible for producing 233 million metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) greenhouse gases.
• This emission volume exceeds the annual carbon footprint of countries like Colombia and Qatar.
• In 2023, a $126 billion rise in defence spending is expected to add 31 million tCO₂e to NATO’s emissions.
• Furthermore, NATO’s 2024 Climate Change and Security Impact Assessment Report acknowledges that climate change is now a growing security challenge, affecting military readiness and operations.

Illustrative Example of Emission Intensity

• By 2030, over 600 F-35 fighter jets are projected to be operational within NATO member states, according to Lockheed Martin.

Each F-35 consumes approximately 5,600 litres of fuel per hour, which is significantly higher than the 3,500 litres per hour used by the older F-16s they are set to replace—highlighting the increasing carbon intensity of military technologies.