Europe’s military sectors have an annual carbon footprint equivalent to emissions from at least 14 million cars, a study published by the Left group in the European Parliament has found.
The survey, based on conservative estimates from 2019, highlights wide gaps in military emissions’ reporting by EU member states. Mitigation measures – if they exist – lack rigour or oversight. Europe’s military sectors operate under a state of exemption, the report argues.
The study, jointly authored by the Conflict and Environment Observatory and Scientists for Global Responsibility finds that the European Green Deal "completely and purposely" ignored everything to do with the climate impact of militarisation, arguing that "demilitarisation needs to be part of any credible Green Deal."
The research also highlights that the EU hosts eight of the world’s top 30 largest corporations by military sales; identifies France’s army as contributing to a third of the total carbon footprint of the EU’s militaries; and estimates that Poland’s military technology industry has the highest greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the Radar. The carbon footprint of Europe’s Military Sectors.
A scoping study
The Left in the European Parliament / Conflict and Environment Observatory /
Scientists for Global Responsibility
51 pages | February 2021
To read the full study, click here.
Originally published at the website of The Left (formerly GUE/NGL)