NATO’s 2% spending goal could divert $2.6trn from climate finance by 2028 —Report

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)’s goal of two percent spending of GDP on the military will accelerate climate breakdown by diverting millions of dollars from climate finance and increasing greenhouse gas emissions, a new report has concluded.

The report, Climate Crossfire, produced by the international research organisation, Transnational Institute, together with Stop Wapenhandel (Netherlands) and Tipping Point North South (UK) estimates the likely financial implications as well as increased greenhouse gas emissions that would result if all NATO members meet their commitment to increase military spending to a minimum of two percent of GDP.

Co-author of the report, Nick Buxton of Transnational Institute said: “This report shows that the climate has tragically become the latest victim in the crossfire of war. We have a closing window of time to address the climate crisis, but the world’s political leaders are more focused on arming themselves to the teeth than prioritising climate action.

NATO’s two percent minimum spending goals are adding fuel to the climate fire, diverting much needed resources and increasing greenhouse emissions. We urgently need to de-escalate tensions and find peaceful solutions to conflicts if we are to defend our planet. There is no secure nation on an unsafe planet.”

The report finds that: “NATO’s military spending this year – $1.26 trillion- would pay for 12 years of promised climate finance of $100 billion a year.

“If all NATO members meet its 2 percent military spending targets, it would divert an estimated additional US$2.57 trillion by 2028 away from climate spending, enough to pay for climate adaptation costs for all low- and middle-income countries for seven years.

“NATO’s estimated military carbon footprint this year – 205 million tCO2e – is comparable to the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of many countries. If NATO’s militaries were a country, it would rank 40th in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.”

“If all NATO members meet its 2 percent military spending target, this would lead to an estimated additional 467 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

NATO members export arms to 39 of the 40 most climate-vulnerable countries, fuelling conflict and repression at a dangerous moment of climate breakdown.

“NATO’s spending goals have gained momentum as a result of Russia’s full-scale illegal invasion of Ukraine, however even before achieving the 2 percent target, in 2021 NATO overall spent more than 16 times as much as Russia and its allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO, which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan).

“Russia has increased its military expenditure to a projected $102 billion in 2023, but this would still be less than a twelfth of NATO’s collective expenditure of $1.26 trillion.”

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