Ronaldo Sousa warns of the consequences of the European investment in Defence

Ronaldo Sousa, from the Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology, leads a study calling for action and reflection towards a more sustainable Defence strategy.

As geopolitical tensions intensify, European Union (EU) member styates are significantly increasing their military budgets. A recent decision, approved at the NATO Summit (The Hague, June 2025), foresees that member countries will invest up to 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in defence by 2035, compared to the current commitment of 2%. According to Ronaldo Sousa, the coordinator of the study and researcher at CBMA, this change could have profound consequences in several sectors, such as education, health, and even in the conservation of nature and biodiversity in Europe.

Although national security is a legitimate priority, this redirection of funds may deprive crucial resources from environmental and biodiversity conservation programmes, which are already struggling with insufficient funding. In addition to budgetary pressures, the military activities themselves – according to the study published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence – cause direct harm to ecosystems. The expansion of military infrastructure, weapons testing, and training exercises result in pollution, habitat destruction, and disturbances to animal species sensitive to noise and light, warns Ronaldo Sousa. It is also estimated that military activities are responsible for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The authors of the study advocate for a balanced approach that integrates security and environmental sustainability. Among the proposed solutions are: (i) investment in greener military technologies and adequate waste management practices; (ii) mandatory environmental assessments for new military projects; (iii) collaboration between armed forces, scientists, and policymakers; (iv) biosafety measures to prevent the introduction of invasive species through military activities; (v) use of military land as biodiversity refuges and shared management with conservation objectives.

Full article here (in Open Access): Sousa R., Nogueira J.G., Mammola S. & Haubrock P. (in press) – How a 5% GDP Military Investment Could Impact Europe’s Biodiversity. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.70098