The Intersection of Climate Justice and Human Rights: Why Divestment is Critical in Palestine

The ongoing occupation in Palestine has led to severe human rights violations, claiming the lives of an estimated 335,500 people since October 7, 2023—56% of whom are women and children. The mass displacement and killing of innocent civilians, including children, parents, frontline workers, and journalists, are atrocities that should not be normalized. Yet, as these war crimes are televised to our phone screens, world leaders not only remain complicit but actively contribute to these human rights violations and humanitarian crises.

But the impact of this occupation goes beyond human suffering; it extends to our planet. Militarism and the cycle of war are accelerating climate chaos, undermining global efforts to combat the climate crisis.

Militarism and Its Environmental Toll

The colonial and military occupation of Palestine is directly linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Israeli military actions, including bombings and infrastructure destruction, have created massive emissions ranging between 420,265 and 652,552 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This military activity, combined with transportation and the use of munitions, has resulted in an estimated 281,315 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure has shifted the region’s energy dependency to diesel generators, producing even more emissions—estimated to create between 19,440 and 58,320 tonnes of CO2. The damage to homes, schools, and hospitals, among other infrastructure, means that reconstruction will generate at least 30 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gasses. This is a climate crisis within a humanitarian crisis.

Climate Justice Must Include an End to Militarism

We must recognize that militarism and climate justice are intertwined. The G20, a platform created within colonial structures to address global issues, bears responsibility for its members’ actions. Militaries account for almost 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, and conflicts like the one in Palestine show the environmental toll of continued militarization.

Countries that ignore Palestine’s sovereignty contribute to this injustice. We must demand that our leaders take action, ending the military support that accelerates environmental destruction.

Divestment as a Path Forward

We believe in the power of divestment strategies to disrupt the financial flow supporting this military-industrial complex. Divestment movements seek to block investment in industries and institutions causing harm—both economically and environmentally. The rights of Indigenous peoples and their responsibilities to protect the land are central to these efforts. The intersection of climate justice and human rights requires bold action from businesses, institutions, and governments worldwide.

Call to Action: Stand for Justice

The path forward is clear: boycott, divest, and take action. We must stand together to resist the normalization of genocide and environmental racism. We call on professionals, organizations, and all people of conscience to support divestment strategies that prioritize climate justice and human rights.

Together, we can amplify the call for a just, equitable, and sustainable world.

Climate crisis in Palestine cannot be detached from the Israeli occupation. The occupation is fundamentally incompatible with climate justice. 

References

1. Gaza death toll: how many Palestinians has Israel's campaign killed? (Reuters)

2. Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential (The Lancet) 

3. Scientists are closing in on the true, horrifying scale of death and disease in Gaza (The Guardian)

4. Gaza: Why is it so hard to establish the death toll? (Nature)

5. Palestine Solidarity Statement (COP29 Climate Justice Coalition)

6. Climate Change Performance Index 2024

7. The Environmental-Humanitarian Impacts of the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza (Arava Institute)

8. A Multitemporal Snapshot of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Israel-Gaza Conflict (Benjamin Neimark, Partick Bigger et al.)

9. US Militarism Is a Leading Cause of the Climate Catastrophe (Truth Out Org)

10. The Gaza war is an environmental catastrophe (972 Mag)