Say No to War and Fossil Fuel

Climate Emergency Forum discusses the widespread nature of armed conflicts, which not only cause immediate destruction but also have long-lasting effects on climate and ecosystems from emissions and post-war reconstruction.

This video was recorded on June 19th, 2024, and published on July 14th, 2024, and represents the opinions of the discussion participants.

There are over 100 active conflicts across various regions including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. These conflicts have significant humanitarian and environmental impacts.

The conversation draws attention to the economic aspects of war, noting that global military expenditures have reached over $2 trillion annually. This is contrasted with the relative lack of funding for climate initiatives, with rich countries spending about 30 times more on their armed forces than on climate finance for vulnerable nations. The speakers argue that this imbalance in spending priorities exacerbates both conflict and climate issues.

Historical context is provided, suggesting that while warfare has been a part of human history, it is not an inevitable aspect of human nature. The speakers challenge the glorification of war and warriors in many societies, arguing that this cultural attitude perpetuates cycles of conflict. They also discuss the interconnectedness of war, fossil fuel interests, and climate change, pointing out that the global military would rank fourth in emissions if it were a country, falling between India and Russia.

The dialog concludes with reflections on the need to redirect resources and attention from military spending to addressing climate change and other global challenges. The speakers advocate for saying "no" to both war and fossil fuels, emphasizing the urgency of taking action on climate change and the importance of pursuing peaceful solutions to conflicts.

Links:
- No 1.5 Without Intervention (CEF Video)

- Climate Change Synthesis Report 2023: Summary for Policy Makers (pdf, p.24)

- Climate Collateral - How Military Spending Accelerates Climate Breakdown (pdf)

- Trends in World Military Expenditure 2023

- ‘Alarming lack of compliance’ with international law ramps up danger for civilians

- Casualties of the Israel-Hamas War

- Emissions from Israel's war in Gaza have 'immense' effect on climate catastrophe

- More than 1000 people die at Hajj pilgrimage 2024 amid extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, AFP reports

- Too Hot to Handle (CEF Video)

- How big are global military carbon emissions?

- Global Humanitarian Overview 2023

Regular Panelists:
Dr. Peter Carter - MD, Expert IPCC Reviewer and the director of the Climate Emergency Institute

Paul Beckwith - Climate Systems Scientist. Professor at the University of Ottawa's Paleoclimatology Laboratory as well as at Carleton University

Regina Valdez - Program Director, Climate Reality Project, NYC. GreenFaith Fellow and LEED Green Associate

Video Production:
Charles Gregoire - Electrical Engineer, Webmaster and IT prime for FacingFuture.Earth & the Climate Emergency Forum; Climate Reality Leader

Heidi Brault - Video production and website assistant, Organizer and convener, Metadata technician, COP team lead for FacingFuture.Earth and the Climate Emergency Forum; BA (Psychology); Climate Reality Leader

Our Website:

Attributions:
Background Music:
- Title: Through the City II
- Author: Crowander

[treefrog]

I LOVE the benign naiveté of this podcast. I sincerely believe that it represents the very best potential, and benign possibilities of the human species. It is EXACTLY what I hope for too. However, the deep wisdom, and humanistic heart and intentions that this podcast embodies is the antithesis of what is actually happening. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" should be the motto of the human species. Collectively, as a species, have become so embroiled in our own geo-political, religious, economic and historical myth-making that objective reality has gone elsewhere. We live in a "la-la land" where wealth and privilege controls EVERYTHING. Wisdom, compassion and common sense have been abandoned by our privileged "deciders". Most of us - nearly 8 BILLION strong - are merely "passengers" on a down-hill slide to oblivion orchestrated by self-serving fools with little heart or vision. "Unmitigated Greed" will be Humanity's tragic epitaph.

[sergioperezio]

Nice energy on the introduction Mrs. Valdez. 💯 On everything said.

[dianewallace]

20:00 Regina, thanks for the list of armed conflicts.

[dianewallace]

3:30 Thank you for this fact, Regina, that if these 8 oil companies use the remaining carbon budget, temps will rise to 2.4 degrees above baseline just from that.

[petrlonsky]

Recommend to look at Andreas Malm work on how fossil fuels fuelled imperialism and expecially collonialism in 19th century. War is not our nature, but nature of this exploiting system... 🌍🕊

[anamariacarvalho]

We are moving for the 6th extition in life in the Earth

[OscarBernhardt]

Wise words. Wise words. Thank you for telling the truth.
Also imagine if we invested in diplomacy and building bridges.
Love you guys. Thanks. 🙏🏻

[louisehoff]

Could you please repeat this program every week until the madness of wars and warmongering stops? Do these people have no children, wildlife, oceans or mountains to love??

[TimFrench-txxj]

To point, the west, namely US scuttled peace agreements on at least two occasions. Russia has never intended to occupy or move further east provided Ukraine remains neutral. The US has stated that once Ukraine is under NATO it intends to put weapons on the Russian border…including nukes. If the situation were reversed, what would be the US response? Recall 1963. Paul should do his research on this.

[brianwheeldon]

Thank you Regina, Peter and Paul. 2.4º Centigrade is in the system with the present level of CO2 (e) at around 560 ppm. Already it's going to take immediate cessation of fossil fuel use and what we can do ecologically and technically to stay below 2 and a half degrees. We've hit the scifi classic novel Ministry for the Future prognosis at this point in time. To stop it will need the Children of Kali. Well it's only a novel, but 'by golly gosh' the novel is proving to be closer to the reality than the IBRD, WTO, BIS, IPCC COP and the CIA-MI6-NATO attack dog combined. I note our mutual ally and friend Roger Hallam along with 3 others face sentence in a London Court for "telling the truth about the climate" on Thursday the 18th July. The bravery of truth tellers is beyond political and judicial deceit and dishonesty, which is in the realm of international crime, including war crime and ecosystem crime against life on planet Earth.

[ramontrevinosantoyo]

NUESTROS DOS PEORES ENEMIGOS. LAS GUERRAS Y LOS COMBUSTIBLES FÓSILES.

[Fishcakebuttie]

I’d say we are already at 2.4c above 1880 anyway. It seems the last 12 months are at an average of 1.65 above, you add on .1 for the ten year lag and a min of .3 for global dimming alone and your at 2c

[robliptak]

In the USA, there use to be postage stamps issued for government departments. There was the “Department of War.” It didn’t look good on the public relations side. Eventually changed to “Department of Defense.”

[DerAua]

Interesting that there is practically no one watching.

[nicholastaylor]

Gaza: There has been virtually no visible internal opposition to Hamas, or blaming of them for the continuing situation. Are the women and children of Gaza protesting against Hamas in the streets, like the ones in Israel protesting against Netanyahu?

[alistairmckee]

TRANSITION of the military economy has long been the challenge for USA, since at least 1945.

Now a Charter for an Office of Transition & Survival is critical.


Every church, union, and affinity group needs to organise a CATS Inc. committee with a strong commitment to youth. C.A.T.S. = Citizen Assembly for Transition & Survival..
Check out the Nuclear Free Zone (NFZ) movement in New Zealand a generation ago, with childcare groups and towns, system change can catch on robustly by shifting the norms of legitimation from the face-to-face level of local institutions.

[ShaneNull]

our weird species that allows the greed to destroy the need

[kuevgkm]

The Militaries, and International travel, are usually excluded from CC statistics, from what I understand. I would point out, that the transport of fossils fuels, usually through International Waters, is therefore also excluded. The pumping and refining of oil is already a huge percentage of the total GHG, and then part of that is excluded. Our just getting our fuels, must be a really big source of our CO2 emissions.

I've seen 40 gigatons and 55 gigatons of CO2, stated from different sources. Is that 15 gigatons, the part that is usually excluded from the figures?

[Nashhinton]

We are ruled by Re Res. It's over.

[TheDanEdwards]

The current civil war in Sudan is terrible, but its roots are deep, and the causes of war are complex.