Researchers have estimated that rebuilding the damage caused in the first four months of the Israel-Gaza war will generate up to 60 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
A paper titled A Multitemporal Snapshot of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Israel-Gaza Conflict was created by researchers at Lancaster University, Queen Mary University of London, University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana, charity organisation Conflict and Environment Observatory and think tank Climate and Community Project to estimate the carbon impact of the war.
The researchers calculated that rebuilding the damage caused by Israeli forces in the first 120 days of the war would generate carbon emissions of around 60 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) ? this is similar to the annual emissions of Sweden. "Rebuilding Gaza will entail a total emissions figure higher than the annual emissions of over 135 countries, putting on them par with that of Sweden and Portugal," the research stated.
Up to 200,000 buildings destroyed in first 120 days
There is widespread international condemnation of Israel's latest war in Gaza, which it launched after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages in an attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. At least 36,000 Palestinians, including 15,000 children, have been killed by Israeli forces in the eight months since.
The United Nations' (UN) top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a case brought by South Africa...