Rising global conflicts have overshadowed the climate crisis
- Climate Injustice: Developing countries, despite contributing minimally to carbon emissions, are disproportionately affected by climate change, facing severe natural disasters and economic instability.
- Resource Mismatch: Global military spending far exceeds investments in climate initiatives, hindering efforts to address climate risks effectively.
- Call for Action: Prioritizing diplomacy, conflict resolution, and sustainable investments is essential to mitigate climate risks and ensure long-term global stability.
As global conflicts are amplifying, climate change has become a forsaken issue. Natural disasters such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and wildfires increase and cause loss of homes and livelihoods, destabilize the economy, and severely damage public health because of climate change, and even though developing countries have made the least contribution in carbon emissions, they are most vulnerable to climate change, leading to climate injustice.
The world has witnessed many conflicts involving territorial issues like the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, the Sudanese Armed Forces vs. the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, Russia’s military aggression and attempts to seize Ukraine’s territory and other territories with an ambition for territorial advancement, or military confrontations between Ethiopia’s government and TPLF, the Sahel region conflict exacerbated by JNIM and ISGS, the Azerbaijan -Armenia conflict on Nagorno-Karabakh, the civil war in Syria, Yemen conflict between Houthi rebels and a Saudi-led coalition, the tensions in the region involving the United States and Iran, sectarian divisions in Iraq, Taliban militants in Afghanistan, the Myanmar military coup, India vs. Pakistan over Kashmir and the US-China conflict that focuses on the economic and technological rivalry have occupied the attention of the world and overshadowed more critical issues like “climate change”.
While the list of global conflicts continues and needs to be addressed, the devastation caused by climate change also demands global attention. Recent floods in Spain’s eastern Valencia region and Tenerife Wildfire, the severe floods in China due to heavy rainfall and Henan Province being the most affected, the bushfires in Australia, the Pacific Northwest Heatwaves in US and Canada, the European heatwaves and floods in France, Germany, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, and other European countries, the calamitous floods in Pakistan, the extreme droughts in the Horn of Africa affecting millions in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, the frequent cyclones in Southeast Asia, the hurricane in Mexico, Marmolada glacier collapse, droughts in the Western US, cyclones in Southern Africa, Storms in Libya, Floods in Ecuador, the cyclones in Myanmar and Bangladesh and various other immeasurable natural disasters due to climate change have drastically affected the countries worldwide.
Climate change is severely damaging the ecosystems, infrastructure, human health, natural resources, and economies. Based on its projections up to 2050, the World Bank assumes that developing countries will expend costs on climate adaptation that are estimated to be around $100 billion per year, further straining the vulnerable economies. The World Health Organization estimated that climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths a year from 2030 to 2050 due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, monitored populations of vertebrates—mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish—have declined by an appalling average of 69 percent since 1970, with key causes like habitat loss, species overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change, and diseases. According to a report published by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, climate-related disasters result in a high loss of crops around the world, mostly in developing countries.
The money allocated to different global conflicts far outweighs what is invested in combating climate change. Global military spending is said to be way beyond the money spent on climate change as represented in initiatives like the Paris Agreement. The money allocated to different global conflicts far outweighs what is invested in combating climate change. Global military spending is said to be way beyond the money spent on climate change as represented in initiatives like the Paris Agreement. Global climate agreements, comprising the Paris Agreement as well as COP summits, urge wealthy countries to support less developed countries with finance related to climate resilience. The target annual sum of $100 billion envisioned to be set by 2020 is, to this day, far from being met.
Three of the most important funds are the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund. Still, such promises notwithstanding, climate funding lags starkly behind global military expenditures: while countries spend considerably more on conflicts than on climate initiatives, this in itself marks a global mismatch between short-term security and much-needed long-term climate stability.
Global conflicts worsen climate change by causing environmental degradation through the destruction of infrastructure, deforestation, and pollution. Military activities raise emissions in war zones as there is the burning of fossil fuels and the release of harmful chemicals. There is generally greater displacement of populations that aggravates resource scarcity, and agricultural disruption leads to food insecurity. Resources that can provide climate adaptation are diverted to military spending, thereby limiting climate action.
“Climate change does not respect borders; it does not respect who you are—rich and poor, small and big. Therefore, this is what we call ‘global challenges,’ which require global solidarity.” Ban Ki-moon
To address the current global conflicts and climate change, more emphasis should be laid on diplomacy and peacebuilding, through which financial allocations from military spending can be made towards climate initiatives. Advanced nations need to fulfill their commitments to climate finance so that vulnerable nations are prepared and minimize climate risk. Through the UN and climate-focused organizations, cooperative efforts may potentially merge peace with climate action. Resources need to be redirected to sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy to prepare for long-term survival. Through conflict resolution and climate action, we can ensure a habitable planet for future generations.
The author is a graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance, from BUITEMS, Quetta. She is also an alumna of the Women2Women America International Leadership Program.
Well research.
I am amazed, such a brilliant findings.
Brilliantly stated! The climate crisis is the real global emergency, and we can’t let conflicts overshadow it.
Like to see more insights.