The Guardian  March 20, 2026

War has led to 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in two weeks and is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined.

The US-Israel war on Iran is a disaster for the climate, according to an analysis that finds it is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined.  As warplanes, drones and missiles kill thousands of people, level infrastructure and turn the Middle East into a gigantic environmental sacrifice zone, the first analysis of the climate cost has found the conflict led to 5million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in its first 14 days.

The analysis, shared exclusively with the Guardian, adds another layer on to reporting of the catastrophic environmental harm being caused by attacks on fossil fuel infrastructure, military bases, civilian areas and ships at sea.  “Every missile strike is another down payment on a hotter, more unstable planet, and none of it makes anyone safer,” said Patrick Bigger, a research director at the Climate and Community Institute and a co-author of the analysis.

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/middle-east-iran-conflict-environment-climate