We have written to a number of Ministers (Keir Starmer, Prime Minister; David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs; Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero; John Healey, Secretary of State for Defence) as well as The Guardian following recent research about the environmental impact of Israel’s war on Gaza. We encourage you to contact your own Member of Parliament or local press using this letter as a template.
Dear Minister,
Carbon footprint of Israel’s War on Gaza exceeds that of a hundred individual countries
The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF UK) is aware of the death toll of Palestinians in Israel’s war on Gaza, (over 54,000 women, children and men). We see images of the streets of dust and rubble, and the displaced and grieving Palestinians on the television news each night. We hear the accounts by medical personnel of the emaciated, and starving children they are trying to treat. We accept that Israel’s starvation of Palestinians is genocide.
Now there is a new horror to digest.
“The carbon footprint of the first 15 months of Israel’s war on Gaza will be greater than the annual planet-warming emissions of a hundred individual countries, exacerbating the global climate emergency on top of the huge civilian death toll”. This is quoted in research by the Social Science Research Network. It includes the long-term impact of damage to land, food and water sources as well as the environmental impact of the cleaning up and ultimate reconstruction of Gaza.(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/30/carbon-footprint-of-israels-war-on- gaza-exceeds-that-of-many-entire-countries)
As you know, there is no obligation for countries to report military emissions to the UN climate body, so the direct and indirect wartime emissions itemised in this research do not appear in global climate audits.
WILPF is opposed to all wars. The conflicts in the Middle East must and will ultimately be resolved by mediation and negotiation. The environmental damage will, however, take years to repair and could be an on-going cause of fresh conflicts.
WILPF UK urges the UK government to stop its complicity in the outrage of the Gaza war and stop all arms transfers to Israel forthwith.
We look forward to hearing your response.
Yours in peace
