Militarism can be defined as: "The normalization of war and preparation for war, prioritizing the needs and interests of military institutions and extension of military culture and influence into everyday life such as in education, central and local government and business, charities etc." -ForcesWatch
"We're at a moment in history where the climate crisis is both in large part caused by, and is also being used as, an excuse for, and to enable, increased war and militarism... not only is foreign military intervention in a civil war over 100x more likely where there is oil and gas, but also war preparations are the leading consumer of oil and gas." -Rachel Small, World Beyond War [1]
Western nations wage wars to secure access to fossil fuels, targeting governments that nationalize oil companies. The Middle East, which holds over half of the world’s oil reserves, has been a point of conflicts driven by imperialism and greed.
"In Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan initially cut off Armenians’ gas supply and then their electricity. Throughout the harsh winter, Armenians could only sporadically access hot water thanks to solar water heaters. These renewable sources threaten the power of those who profit from wars and oil, thereby weakening the economic foundations of authoritarian regimes and reducing their incentives for military aggression." -Amara Possain [2]
Spending more on keeping climate migrants out than on stopping the climate crisis
Canada is spending 15x more right now on the militarization of its borders than on the climate financing that is meant to mitigate climate change... in other words, Canada one of the countries most responsible for the climate crisis, is spending vastly more right now on arming its borders to keep migrants out that on tackling one of the crises that's forcing people to flee their homes in the first place. - Rachel Small [3]
"Money for war, can't feed the poor"
The United States has one of the largest militaries in the world. The Palestinian resistance movement has exposed the hypocrisy of states like the United States, who despite funnelling billions to support Israeli's war and genocide on Gaza, claim there is 'not enough money' to fund things like affordable housing, a climate transition and forgiving student debt.
The military budget in so-called Canada has increased over 70% in just a few years. We currently spend over 20 times on the military as the Canadian state than the federal government does on all environmental initiatives. - Rachel Small [4]
Mining minerals and burning oil and gas for war
Not only are wars fought to extract more, but minerals extracted also circulate back into the construction of war machines.
"The Canadian mining industry is the global leader in mining for war machines from uranium, to metals, to rare earth elements used in every single F35 fighter jet bombing Gaza." -Rachel Small [5]
"Every single one of those F-35s has over 900 PBS of rare earth elements. These require open pit mines on an almost unfathomable scale to extract... and globally 1/4 of all greenhouse gas emissions come from mining... the field that Canada is the global leader on." - Rachel Small [6]
Military emissions aren't included in federal GHG reduction targets, despite being such a large producer of global GHG emissions.
Military violence on Indigenous land defenders
Indigenous peoples are regularly being attacked and surveilled by the Canadian and US military.
Abroad and all around the world, Indigenous land defenders against oil, gas and mining in their communities are met with militarized violence inflicted by their states. The companies extracting, transporting, burning and investing in this violence are companies from the Global North.
C-IRG, often deployed on Indigenous land defenders, is largely informed by former CIA director David Petraeus, the lead commander for the CIA who was on the ground during Afghanistan and Iraq. He's been testing his playbook on countering insurgencies on the Wet'suwet'en. - Maya Menezes [7]
Examples from around the world
Both the climate and housing crisis have capitalist roots
For example, Blackstone, a private equity firm worth $153 billion, bought a real estate firm which owns 5000 units in Toronto. The company has a history of abusive tenants with high fees, rent hikes and aggressive eviction practices in mostly black, brown and low-income neighbourhoods. They also lobbied against rent control in California. -Climate Justice Toronto
Blackstone has invested in a company building private highways through the Amazon.
The firm set up an office in Israel. A previous Israeli minister of defense was hired to run it. -Climate Justice Toronto
The working class pays for climate adaptation; the right to air conditioning
As temperatures rise, so does the need for cooling solutions in the home.
In the Global North, central air conditioning is typically only accessible in higher priced rental units. The upfront price of a portable air conditioner falls on individuals. In both instances, higher electricity costs to stay cool in the summer fall on individuals.
Several marginalized groups are at greater risk of heat-related death and illness (e.g. people who are houseless, the elderly, disabled people, low-income populations etc).
Air conditioning is projected to account for a peak load of energy needs in countries where there is a greater access and need (e.g. India). In communities that have been exploited by the same system that privileges certain groups with access to air conditioning, a lack of such will also lead to heat-related death and illness. [8]
E.g. in 2021, citizens of the capital of Niger located on the edge of the Sahara Desert, suffered through 100-degree-F heat for 174 days. In Basra, Iraq, the number of 100-degree-F days was 168.
At a temperature of about 90 degrees F, labor becomes unsafe, and if it climbs past 95 degrees F, the body can no longer cool itself, leading to illness and death. [9]
If global temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius (about 3.5 degrees F), South Asia could experience more than twice as many unsafe-labor and life-threatening temperatures than it does today [10]
There are presently maximum temperature bylaws for renters in many communities in so-called Canada, but not maximum temperature bylaws. Cooling spaces also need to be maximized to be accessible to more community members. Advocates are suggesting a 26 degree C bylaw for rental units, and that the cost should not fall on renters. [11]
The working class pays for climate adaptation; retrofits
Retrofits have been used to justify evictions and steep rental increases. "Many building owners are using green and environmental retrofits to justify above-the-board rent increases. Retrofits are also used to rationalize the eviction of long-standing tenants, hoping to replace them with tenants willing to pay significantly more money." -Toronto Environmental Alliance
Both the climate and housing crisis have colonial roots
Both housing and climate injustice are deeply rooted in the forced displacement and removal of Indigenous Peoples from their territories, and continued oppression of Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island. The intentional removal of Indigenous Peoples from their language, food systems, land and overall way of life, make them significant targets of houselessness.
In Toronto, Indigenous Peoples constitute around 23% of those experiencing homelessness/houselessness in the city, even though they make up only around 0.8% of the total population. Urban Indigenous Peoples are 8 times more likely to experience houselessness than non-Indigenous Peoples. [12]
Examples from around the world
The occupation of Palestine is a climate issue [13]
Israel‘s occupation and apartheid, which denies Palestinians the right to manage their land and resources, makes them more vulnerable to climate-related events. Military powers are used to enforce the apartheid.
Water: Gaza’s acute shortage of potable water from climate change was worsened by Israel’s restrictions on the entry of materials and fuel needed for wastewater treatment. Sewage infiltrated Gaza’s aquifer and flows untreated into Gaza’s coastal waters, damaging marine life and health. 97% of Gaza’s water is unhealthy for human consumption and contaminated water causes 1/4 of all illness in Gaza. While Palestinian villages struggle to adapt to water scarcity, Israeli settlements enjoy unlimited access to water for drinking, to irrigate crops and lawns, and for swimming pools. 640,000 settlers in the West Bank consume 6x the water of 2.9 million Palestinians.
Food: Israel’s military prevents Palestinians from using the 20% of Gaza's arable land next to Israel’s militarized fence, and targets Gaza’s farmland with herbicides. A study by Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network explained in 2014 when Israel dropped 21,000 tonnes of explosives on the Gaza strip, it resulted in extensive soil damage and reduced agricultural productivity. Moreover, Israel's removal of olive trees to weaken Palestinians’ connection to the land and economic self-sufficiency is greenwashed by Israel's planting of trees. Israel has uprooted 800,000 olive trees since 1967. Olive trees represent peace and Palestinians connection to the land
Energy: 98% of Israel’s electricity production comes from fossil fuels, and Palestinians are given an average of 12 hours per day to use it. Israelis are given unlimited access. Palestinians have turned to solar panels to create their own electricity. Panels have been targeted by Israel's bombing. Moreover, the Israeli military seizes solar panels sent by humanitarian aid groups for Palestinian communities, even while it has passed progressive laws requiring the installation of solar panels on all new buildings.
Waste: Israel routinely dumps its waste in occupied Palestine. Palestinians burn plastic waste for income, contributing to the increasing levels of cancer among Palestinians.
Funding from the West: Countries in the West support Israel's occupation by purchasing weapons and other goods from Israel, and selling weapons to Israel. Between 2018-2022, Canada imported $132 million dollars worth of weapons from Israel. Canadian companies such as Canada's big banks fund technology used by the Israeli military. For example, Scotia bank holds the largest foreign share of an Israeli weapons manufacturer.
Myanmar
Blood money campaign is a collective of Myanmar activists fighting to stop oil and gas revenues reaching the Myanmar military junta. They call for targeted sanctions of the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), impacting corporations like TotalEnergies, Petronas, PTTEP, and POSCO. Chevron has pulled out as a result.
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