When Peace Becomes a Climate Necessity – An Article by H.E. Dr. Abdulla Belhaif Al Nuaimi
Wars in today’s world are no longer merely political matters, nor are they transient events in tense geographies. The Russian–Ukrainian war, now in its third year, has revealed that armed conflicts have become a climate burden no less dangerous than their humanitarian and economic consequences. In this context, the United Arab Emirates’ hosting of international efforts aimed at ending the war emerges as a step that goes beyond political mediation toward a broader horizon, where the pursuit of peace becomes an environmental act in its own right.
Recent estimates indicate that the war has generated nearly 230 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions over 3 years—an amount equal to the combined annual emissions of four European countries. After 18 months, emissions had already reached 150 million tons, comparable to the emissions of a mid-sized industrial country such as Belgium. These figures are not merely environmental indicators; they are testimony to the scale of destruction affecting both humanity and nature alike.
These emissions stem from multiple sources: military fuel consumption, which accounts for the largest share; the destruction of infrastructure and the release of carbon stored in construction materials; forest and agricultural land fires; and population displacement, which significantly increases energy and transportation consumption. The most striking paradox is that reconstruction itself—an act of renewal—will be a major source of emissions, as estimates show that nearly one-third of the emissions recorded in the early phase of the war are linked to rebuilding efforts. This means that the climate impact of the war will persist long after the fighting stops.
The Historical and Geographical Dimension: Understanding the Roots of the Crisis
The current landscape cannot be understood without reference to the historical dimension linking Russia and Ukraine. The relationship between the two countries spans centuries, tracing its roots to Kyivan Rus in the Middle Ages, when Kyiv was a political and cultural center of the first Slavic state. Despite this shared legacy, Ukrainian identity evolved along an independent path, with the Ukrainian people preserving their cultural and political distinctiveness despite successive empires.
With the establishment of the Soviet Union in the twentieth century, Ukraine became one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet system. Although it retained republican institutions and borders, it remained subject to centralized authority in Moscow. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine gained full independence and entered a new phase of state-building and national identity formation, though this transition left behind complex political and geographical legacies that contributed to shaping current tensions.
This background gains further importance when considering Ukraine’s geographic position. Located in the heart of Eastern Europe, it serves as a bridge between East and West. With an area of approximately 603,000 square kilometers, it is the largest European country by size after Russia. Before the war, its population was around 43 million, distributed across industrial and agricultural cities that form a vital part of European food security. This location, density, and historical legacy all make the war more complex—and its environmental consequences more far-reaching.
The UAE: A Diplomacy Linking Climate Security with Geopolitical Security
In light of these realities, Emirati efforts take on a dimension that goes beyond politics. The UAE—having firmly established its global presence in climate action and hosted major conferences such as COP28—understands that peace is not merely a moral choice, but a climate necessity. Ending the war would effectively halt one of the world’s largest sudden sources of emissions, avoid reconstruction-related emissions that could last for decades, and protect Europe’s ecosystems from long-term pollution and recurring fires.
The link between climate security and geopolitical security is no longer an intellectual luxury; it has become essential to understanding today’s global challenges. States cannot speak credibly about reducing emissions while being drained by wars, nor can the international community achieve its climate goals while conflicts rage in the heart of Europe. From this perspective, Emirati mediation becomes a direct contribution to protecting the global climate, and a model of diplomacy that sees sustainability as beginning with extinguishing the fires of conflict before extinguishing the fires of factories.The UAE’s hosting of efforts to end the Russian–Ukrainian war is therefore not merely a diplomatic step; it carries a clear environmental message at its core:
Protecting the planet begins with protecting humanity, and peace is the shortest path toward a future with fewer emissions and greater sustainability.
