The article "The Overlooked Contributors to Climate and Biodiversity Crises: Military Operations and Wars" by Quan-Hoang Vuong, Minh-Hoang Nguyen, and Viet-Phuong La highlights the significant yet often overlooked environmental impacts of military operations and wars. The authors argue that the military-industrial complex is a major contributor to both climate change and biodiversity loss, yet these impacts are frequently overshadowed by national security concerns. The paper examines the scale of military emissions, the environmental consequences of wars, and the challenges in incorporating military-related activities into global climate and biodiversity agendas. Key points include: 1. **Military Emissions**: The military is a substantial source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily due to its reliance on fossil fuels. The top 25 weapons manufacturers alone sold products worth $361 billion in 2019, each with its own carbon footprint. The U.S. military, in particular, accounts for 31.2% of historical emissions. 2. **Environmental Impact of Wars**: Wars and military operations not only increase emissions but also cause severe damage to biodiversity and ecosystems. Examples include the Vietnam War, where herbicides and defoliants led to widespread ecological damage, and conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which devastated wildlife populations. 3. **Information Blind Spot**: The lack of transparency in reporting military emissions, known as the "military emissions gap," is a significant challenge. Many countries do not report their military emissions due to national security concerns, leading to a gap in global climate agreements. 4. **Challenges in Reducing Emissions**: Even if transparency improves, reducing military emissions faces complex challenges, including the long lifecycles of military equipment, the reliance on fossil fuels, and the complexity of the supply chain. 5. **Humanistic and Environmental Conscience**: The authors emphasize that promoting peace is crucial for addressing both climate change and biodiversity loss. War and conflict not only deplete resources but also cause long-lasting environmental damage, fostering hatred and distrust among nations, which hinders global cooperation on environmental issues. The article calls for increased transparency, accountability, and efforts to reduce military emissions, highlighting the need for global peace and sustainable practices to protect the planet's ecosystems.The article "The Overlooked Contributors to Climate and Biodiversity Crises: Military Operations and Wars" by Quan-Hoang Vuong, Minh-Hoang Nguyen, and Viet-Phuong La highlights the significant yet often overlooked environmental impacts of military operations and wars. The authors argue that the military-industrial complex is a major contributor to both climate change and biodiversity loss, yet these impacts are frequently overshadowed by national security concerns. The paper examines the scale of military emissions, the environmental consequences of wars, and the challenges in incorporating military-related activities into global climate and biodiversity agendas. Key points include: 1. **Military Emissions**: The military is a substantial source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily due to its reliance on fossil fuels. The top 25 weapons manufacturers alone sold products worth $361 billion in 2019, each with its own carbon footprint. The U.S. military, in particular, accounts for 31.2% of historical emissions. 2. **Environmental Impact of Wars**: Wars and military operations not only increase emissions but also cause severe damage to biodiversity and ecosystems. Examples include the Vietnam War, where herbicides and defoliants led to widespread ecological damage, and conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which devastated wildlife populations. 3. **Information Blind Spot**: The lack of transparency in reporting military emissions, known as the "military emissions gap," is a significant challenge. Many countries do not report their military emissions due to national security concerns, leading to a gap in global climate agreements. 4. **Challenges in Reducing Emissions**: Even if transparency improves, reducing military emissions faces complex challenges, including the long lifecycles of military equipment, the reliance on fossil fuels, and the complexity of the supply chain. 5. **Humanistic and Environmental Conscience**: The authors emphasize that promoting peace is crucial for addressing both climate change and biodiversity loss. War and conflict not only deplete resources but also cause long-lasting environmental damage, fostering hatred and distrust among nations, which hinders global cooperation on environmental issues. The article calls for increased transparency, accountability, and efforts to reduce military emissions, highlighting the need for global peace and sustainable practices to protect the planet's ecosystems.