Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Causes $32 Billion in Climate Damage

Russia's two large-scale invasions of Ukraine have caused $32 billion in climate damage to the planet. This is stated in a study by the initiative for accounting greenhouse gas emissions during wartime.

Due to the war, emissions have amounted to 175 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), including methane and the most potent greenhouse gas, sulfur hexafluoride. This is more than the total emissions from all of the Netherlands in a year, equivalent to the release from 90 million new gasoline-powered vehicles on the roads, or the construction of 260 coal-fired power plants.

A third of the emissions is directly attributed to military activities, including the use and production of ammunition, the construction of defensive structures along the front lines, and the burning of fuel by military equipment. This has resulted in 35.2 million tons of CO2e emissions from Russia, and 9.4 million tons from Ukraine.

Another third of the emissions is due to the potential reconstruction of destroyed homes, bridges, factories, and other structures in Ukraine, which will require enormous amounts of steel and concrete. Meanwhile, The Guardian notes that the final emissions in this category will depend on whether "green" materials and technologies are used in construction.

The last third of the emissions is attributed to fires, strikes on energy infrastructure, military aircraft emissions, and the forced migration of Ukrainians and Russians. The disruption of the "Nord Stream 2" alone led to emissions of 14.6 million tons of CO2e, the study indicates.

Fires that broke out on both sides of the contact line have affected more than 1.2 million hectares of forest, farmland, and built-up areas, resulting in nearly 20 million tons of CO2e emissions.

The UN General Assembly called for Russia to compensate for damages back in November 2022. In April 2024, a registry of the damages caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine was opened, which includes provisions on environmental damage.