A response to Bohigas et al

The document argues that the global military carbon footprint estimates provided by Bohigas et al (ranging from 0.5% to 1.3% of global emissions) are unreliable due to implausible assumptions and incomplete data. Specifically, it notes that the lower estimate assumes non-US militaries have zero emissions, while the upper estimate relies on US emissions intensity which may not reflect the higher fossil-fuel intensity of other major military spenders like China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia. The author further highlights the omission of aviation's upper-atmosphere heating effects, 'scope 3+' war-fighting impacts, and the potential of environmentally-extended input output models (EEIOMs) to provide more accurate data.

• The estimated range for the global military carbon footprint in the Bohigas et al paper is based on "highly implausible assumpƟons" that undermine its reliability. The lower estimate of 0.5% of global emissions assumes the carbon footprint of all national militaries except the USA is zero, while the upper estimate of 1.3% assumes all world militaries share the same emissions intensity as the USA despite acknowledged inefficiencies in other countries.
• The emissions data used for US military industry (153 MtCO2e) is considered an underestimate because it only includes activities "related to war" and excludes routine patrols and training. When all military activities are included, the industrial contribution is approximately 280 MtCO2e, and this figure still excludes supply chain (scope 3) emissions.
• The document argues that emissions intensity is likely significantly higher globally than in the USA, particularly in China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia. These nations have fossil fuel intensive energy systems, high numbers of active personnel, and a large volume of fossil fuel intensive craft such as aircraft, warships, and tanks.

APA

Parkinson, S. (2026). A response to Bohigas et al. Scientists for Global Responsibility. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/SGR-response-to-Bohigas-et-al.pdf

Chicago

Parkinson, Stuart. A response to Bohigas et al. Scientists for Global Responsibility, 2026. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/SGR-response-to-Bohigas-et-al.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Parkinson |first1=Stuart |title=A response to Bohigas et al |publisher=Scientists for Global Responsibility |date=March 2026 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/SGR-response-to-Bohigas-et-al.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{parkinson2026response, author = {Parkinson, Stuart}, title = {{A response to Bohigas et al}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/SGR-response-to-Bohigas-et-al.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }