According to the researchers, the global military buildup poses a serious threat to achieving climate goals. 

According to them, rearmament planned by NATO alone could increase greenhouse gas emissions by almost 200 million tons per year.

With the world engaged in the largest number of armed conflicts since World War II, countries have increased military spending, which together total a record $2.46 trillion in 2023.

Critics argue that for every dollar invested in new equipment, there is not only a corresponding cost in carbon emissions, but also an opportunity cost for potential climate change measures. And that's on top of the huge number of deaths caused by armed conflict. 

Not all armed forces openly declare the extent of their use of fossil fuels, but researchers have estimated that collectively they are already responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

That figure is expected to rise as tensions escalate in several regions and as the U.S., which for decades has been the world's biggest military spender, says it expects its NATO allies to devote significantly more resources to its armed forces.

 According to the Global Peace Index, militarization has increased in 108 countries in 2023.

In Europe, the increase has been particularly dramatic: according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, EU states' spending on armaments rose by more than 30 percent between 2021 and 2024.