The carbon footprint of war |
One important aspect of the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, which is being ignored completely, is its environmental impact. A conscious mind can estimate that environmental debris now has long-term consequences, even if the conflict is resolved immediately.
The oil facilities being hit and set ablaze release huge quantities of CO2, soot, sulfur dioxide and other hazardous gases into the atmosphere. These pollutants will travel far beyond the conflict zone, carried by regional wind systems, turning regional destruction into a wider environmental hazard and potentially affecting neighbouring countries.
Recent escalation in burning oil infrastructure in the Middle East, along with reports of toxic smoke and "blackened rain", demonstrates how warfare can trigger sudden spikes in pollution. According to a report by the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), more than 300 environmentally relevant incidents have already been recorded during the current conflict across Iran and the wider region.
This raises a rarely discussed problem in climate........