The Climate Question, The Climate Question, What's the climate cost of war?

The Climate Question

The Climate Question

What's the climate cost of war?

8 March 2026

24 minutes

Available for over a year

War leaves a visible trail of destruction: lives and families devastated, homes and communities reduced to rubble.

But there is also a climate cost of armed conflict, and it’s an issue that Climate Question listeners have been asking about. So in this show, Host Graihagh Jackson chats to two leading experts about the carbon footprint of battle itself - the jets, the bombs, the supply lines - and the impact of maintaining armies and bases during peacetime. They discuss Gaza and Ukraine, as well as the current US-Israel war with Iran.

Graihagh also finds out if there any ways for the military to reduce their emissions and whether they see climate change as a strategic threat.

GUESTS:

Neta Crawford, Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews.

Dr. Benjamin Neimark, Associate Professor at Queen Mary, University of London

Got a question or comment? email us at theclimatequestion@bbc.com

Producers: Diane Richardson, Grace Braddock

Sound Engineer: Tom Brignell and Philip Bull

Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

Editor: Simon Watts