As wars threaten global climate, activists push for Cop31 to discuss defence spending
Military activities are hampering the transition towards renewable energy, with data transparency lacking among major defence spenders
Harjeet Singh, strategic adviser of the Fossil Fuel Treaty, a global campaign pushing for an agreement to end new fossil fuel expansion and phase out existing fossil fuel production, said military-linked emissions might account for 5 per cent of global carbon output.
“That share is likely higher, especially when the full life cycle is considered, from weapons production to battlefield fuel use and post-war reconstruction,” Singh said.
A report released in November 2025 by the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), a UK-based body that researches and raises awareness of the environmental harm caused by armed conflicts and military activities, points to the lack of data transparency as a key challenge.
It said analysis of military emissions data submitted by countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) continued to be limited, with the top three military spenders – the United States, China and Russia – either not submitting data or providing incomplete figures.