It turns out Russia's war against Ukraine has had some seriously unfavorable environmental consequences, as per recent research. A team of global researchers, spearheaded by Dutchman Lennard de Klerk, discovered that the conflict has emitted more climate-damaging greenhouse gases within the first year and a half than a country like Belgium does annually. They calculated around 150 million tons of CO2 equivalents for this period.
The war's aftermath has several sources of greenhouse gases, with the actual war waging occupying about 25% of the total emissions. Yet, the most significant culprit is the fires, responsible for 15% of the emissions, followed by long airplane detours due to closed airspace, contributing 12%.
Unsurprisingly, the reconstruction of demolished buildings and infrastructure will emit the majority of greenhouse gases, accounting for 36% of the total, with the Kachovka Dam rebuild being one of the key elements. The construction sector is notorious for its high greenhouse gas emissions, and researchers calculate the savings from using less detrimental materials.
Lennard de Klerk emphasizes the importance of tracking war-related emissions, which often goes unnoticed in conventional calculations and processes. He claims that this is the first time such emissions have been calculated in measuring Russia's damages to our climate. If the numbers are accurate, it would be reasonable for Russia to be held accountable for its climate impact.
Some researchers estimate the financial toll on Russia for these emissions, summing up to 9.6 billion US dollars, considering various social costs. With a so-called average CO2 shadow price of 64 US dollars per tonne of CO2 equivalent, these figures might become crucial in potential compensation payments.
Sources:
- The study published in Communications Earth & Environment found that the Ukraine war led to an increase in global aviation carbon dioxide emissions due to planes taking longer routes to avoid Russian airspace.
- The financial consequences of the war in terms of military spending and economic impact were discussed in various news articles, but no direct link between the war and greenhouse gas emissions was provided.
