Gaza conflict generates 33.2m tons of carbon emissions: Palestinian data

RAMALLAH - Carbon emissions from the conflict in the Gaza Strip have reached 33.2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, causing a severe environmental disaster, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said on Thursday.

In a joint statement issued with the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority on World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5, the PCBS said the emissions, comparable to the annual emissions of some countries, equal those produced by some 7.6 million gasoline-powered vehicles in one year, or the amount of carbon dioxide that forests covering about 133,000 square km could absorb annually.

The statement said the estimate includes around 1.9 million tons from direct military operations, as well as emissions associated with pre-conflict activities and post-conflict debris removal and reconstruction efforts.

Damage to water infrastructure has driven the price of one cubic meter of water in Gaza to about 211 shekels in 2025, up from 30 shekels in 2023, it added.

Gaza's sanitation system is facing near-total collapse due to extensive damage to infrastructure, including wastewater treatment facilities, sewage networks, and pumping stations, according to the statement.

Around 710,000 tons of household waste and nearly 60 million tons of debris have accumulated across the enclave following the destruction of more than 330,000 housing units, it said.

The destruction of about 90 percent of municipal equipment and the collapse of waste collection services have worsened pollution and public health risks, it added.

The statement also reported extensive damage to Gaza's agricultural sector, with about 86 percent of agricultural land affected by shelling, bulldozing, and military vehicle movement.