At the COP29 Climate Summit in Baku, Ukraine introduced a methodology for accounting greenhouse gas emissions caused by war for the first time. This approach enables a comprehensive assessment of the climate damage resulting from russia’s aggression.
The methodology was developed by the Initiative for Accounting Greenhouse Gas Emissions from War with support from the NGO “Ecoaction” and Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. Until now, no global standard existed for tracking war-related emissions or mechanisms for claiming compensation for such damage.
“With this methodological guidance, we have transformed lessons learned from Russia’s war in Ukraine into a tool to help other conflict-affected countries quantify conflict-related emissions,” said Lennard de Klerk, an expert on war-related emissions.
Experts describe this new approach as the first step towards a system for measuring war’s impact on the climate. Latest calculations estimate that in 24 months of full-scale war, emissions amounted to 175 million tons of carbon, exceeding the annual emissions of the Netherlands. The resulting damage is valued at approximately $32 billion.
“Our goal is to develop a methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions from military actions, not only to hold aggressors accountable but also to provide the world with an objective mechanism to calculate carbon emissions from armed conflicts. We must all realize that this catastrophe affects each of us. Climate security is not just Ukraine’s issue but a global one, requiring solidarity to address,” emphasized Ukraine’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk.
During the presentation of the methodology at COP29, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Victoria Kyreeva highlighted the catastrophic consequences and human toll of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The presented methodology explains how war contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions through various aspects of military operations that can be quantified. For instance, armies consume vast amounts of fuel for tanks, aircraft, and armored vehicles, greatly increasing carbon emissions. Infrastructure destruction, such as damage to gas pipelines and oil depots, leads to methane leaks and the release of other greenhouse gases. Ammunition also contributes, as its production involves carbon-intensive materials, and explosions release additional greenhouse gases. The methodology accounts for these and other factors using specific coefficients.
“Accounting for war-related emissions is the first step towards holding perpetrators accountable. We are working both internationally and nationally to ensure that Russia, as an aggressor state, will one day be held responsible for the climate damage caused,” emphasized Vasylyna Belo, Head of the Climate Department at “Ecoaction.”
The presentation of this methodology at COP29 promotes the development of an international mechanism for assessing and compensating for climate damage caused by armed conflicts. This initiative is crucial not only for Ukraine but also for other countries impacted by aggression.