[Earth Day Statement] Confronting Militarism in the Era of Climate Imperialism
April 22, 2025
Today, as we commemorate Earth Day, we at the Asia Pacific Network of Environmental Defenders renew our call for urgent, collective action against the most destructive forces threatening both people and the planet.
While Earth Day is widely seen as a celebration of nature, it must also be a time for confronting hard truths. For too long, industrialized capitalist countries have profited from ecological destruction, while communities in the Global South are left to deal with the consequences: rising seas, extreme weather, and poisoned lands. This climate crisis we face is not simply the result of human activity in general—it is the direct outcome of a global system rooted in monopoly capitalism or imperialism.
We need to be clear if we are to tackle these crises head-on: imperialism is the root cause of the climate crisis. The wealthiest 12% of the world’s population is responsible for 50% of all historical carbon emissions. These are the same countries that built empires through colonization, and until present have continued to plunder resources through multinational corporations and unfair trade policies. What we are witnessing is climate imperialism—where the burden of environmental destruction is offloaded onto the poor and the marginalized, while the rich continue business as usual.
But this system of exploitation does not rely solely on political influence or economic tools. It is upheld by violence.
Militarism enables climate imperialism. It is used to suppress resistance, secure control over resources, and clear the way for destructive projects. In the Asia Pacific region, we see this pattern repeated in various countries.
In India, for example, military forces are deployed in the name of counterinsurgency in forested areas rich in coal and minerals. These lands are home to Adivasi communities who practice sustainable ways of life—but corporations like Adani and Vedanta want the land, and the state clears the path with guns. Entire communities are displaced, while defenders are surveilled, harassed, and even killed.
In the Philippines, militarization goes hand in hand with so-called “development.” Government forces are stationed in indigenous and rural areas where large-scale mining, dams, and other big-ticket projects are underway. The justification for this is supposed terrorist threats. But in truth, what is being attacked are the people’s legitimate struggles for land, self-determination, and ecological protection.
This militarization has severe impacts on both human lives and the environment. Bombings destroy forests, contaminate water sources, and displace entire communities. Military bases and operations leave behind toxic waste and degraded ecosystems. Globally, war has always been an environmental catastrophe—the use of chemicals like Agent Orange in Vietnam is just one devastating example. Even if there is no active warfare, the destruction continues through so-called “peacekeeping” operations, training exercises, and border militarization.
And yet, these impacts are largely hidden from global discussions. The carbon footprint of militarism is massive—but international climate agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement exclude military emissions from reporting requirements. The U.S. military alone emits more greenhouse gases than over 140 countries. From 2001 to 2017, its operations in the Middle East released 1.2 billion metric tons of CO₂—more than the annual emissions of many developed nations.
Meanwhile, military spending continues to rise. In 2022, the world spent $2.24 trillion on arms and war. Once can only imagine if even a fraction of that was used for climate adaptation, renewable energy, or environmental rehabilitation.
So, this Earth Day, we call on all defenders, advocates, and allies to raise our calls:
Pull Out State Troops from Communities. End the militarization of indigenous and rural areas. Let communities steward their lands without fear of violence.
1. Stop State Military Operations Masquerading as Development. Halt bombings, forced evacuations, and red-tagging justified by “counterinsurgency.” These are tactics of dispossession.
2. Defund State Militarism, Fund Climate Solutions. Redirect military budgets toward climate resilience, disaster response, agroecology, and people-centered development.
3. Address the Root Causes. Climate vulnerability is not just environmental—it’s social and political. Support genuine agrarian reform, national industrialization, and local autonomy.
4.Protect Environmental Human Rights Defenders. Support those who risk their lives to safeguard nature. Many of them are part of movements for land, justice, and sovereignty.
Let us confront the forces that treat the Earth as a battlefield. Let us resist the systems that destroy in the name of progress. And let us build a future rooted in justice, sustainability, and solidarity.
This Earth Day, we reaffirm our commitment to collective resistance and people-powered change.
Defend our natural resources. Resist militarism. Fight for climate justice.
