Militarism’s Deadly Toll: US Military Emissions Equal 20 Countries’ Annual Output

As world leaders gather at the annual UN climate summit, COP, a glaring omission threatens to undermine the entire conference: the U.S. military-industrial complex. The world’s largest institutional emitter, the U.S. military, is exempt from transparency requirements and accountability for its climate pollution.

Leading the U.S. delegation to COP is John Podesta, a career defender of militarism and lobbyist for the military establishment. His presence has raised concerns that the conference will ignore the environmental impact of U.S. militarism, dooming any meaningful progress on climate action.

The U.S. military’s carbon footprint is staggering, surpassing entire nations in fossil fuel consumption. The war on Gaza has been a devastating example of militarism’s environmental toll, with emissions from U.S.-funded bombs equaling the yearly carbon output of 20 countries.

As the conference progresses, it’s clear that true climate solutions won’t come from polite panel discussions led by those responsible for the climate crisis. Instead, we need radical honesty, demands for accountability, and a commitment to ending the empire choking our planet and communities.

The cost of militarism is clear, and its environmental toll demands our fiercest opposition. This COP, it’s time to hold those responsible for the climate crisis accountable and demand climate justice that tells the truth.