“Climate Catastrophe: The Environmental Cost of Israel’s War in Gaza”
A recent study published on Thursday has shed light on the significant climate costs associated with Israel’s war in Gaza. The study, conducted by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and published in the SSRN, estimated that between 156,000 to 200,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged in the Gaza Strip during the first four months of the conflict. This level of destruction resulted in climate costs that exceeded the annual emissions of the world’s 135 lowest-emitting countries combined.
Ben Neimark, a co-author of the study, emphasized the catastrophic climate consequences of the conflict, stating that while the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza rightfully captures the world’s attention, the environmental impacts are equally devastating. The majority of the estimated climate costs stem from the future reconstruction efforts in Gaza, with additional emissions generated by wartime activities such as flights by Israeli fighter jets and U.S. cargo planes supplying weapons and supplies.
Experts not involved in the study expressed outrage at the Western complicity in the Gaza conflict, highlighting the hypocrisy of nations that preach about climate responsibility while supporting the Israeli regime’s actions. Zena Agha, a policy analyst at Al-Shabaka, condemned the funding and enabling of the war, which exacerbates the climate crisis in the region.
Patrick Bigger, another study co-author, called for a cease-fire and an end to apartheid in Palestine, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the climate crisis and the Israeli occupation. The people of Gaza, who heavily relied on solar panels before the conflict, are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including rising sea levels, extreme heat, and increased flooding and drought.
The environmental devastation in Gaza extends beyond emissions from the conflict, with reports of widespread destruction of agricultural sites and deliberate acts of ecocide by the Israeli military. The destruction of farmland and the use of starvation as a weapon of war have raised concerns about the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the conflict.
While the SSRN study provides conservative estimates of the climate impact of the war, recent findings from the United Nations Satellite Center suggest a slightly lower number of destroyed buildings in Gaza. Legal experts have accused Israel of “domicide,” the mass destruction of dwellings to render the territory uninhabitable, further exacerbating the humanitarian and environmental crisis in the region.
As the conflict continues and climate-related extreme weather events intensify, experts warn of further violations of Palestinian rights and the potential for worsening climate impacts in the region. Astrid Puentes, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, highlighted the serious risks to life and rights posed by the war in Gaza and called for urgent action to address the environmental and humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.