The title of our next publication On a day like today we just need to look forward is intrinsically optimistic because we in essence saying that every day it is worth investing in the future of the planet. It seems at odds with the environmental apocalypse being meted on the planet across the Middle East during a war started through a mixture of idiocy and greed (actually the two melded together). Many, of course, are losing their lives and livelihoods in this moment and we do not in any sense undermine the tragedy of that with our innate optimism. The environmental tragedy that is playing out is however rarely spoken of – perhaps because of the more immediate tragedies unfolding every day.

A recent analysis led by Ghanaian scientist Fred Otu-Larbi highlighted in The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/21/middle-east-iran-conflict-environment-climate) showed us that in the first 14 days of the US/Israeli war on Iran more than 5m tonnes of carbon were released due to the bombings and burnings of oil and gas facilities. This is the carbon budget for 84 countries combined.

This is not all. This burning of carbon is expected to increase as this war progresses as this is a war, essentially, about oil (at least from the US perspective) and their approach to bomb Iran into submission is to continue to destroy primarily civilian stores of oil and gas and the ability to refine such. The study goes on to point out that “historically, every US‑driven energy shock has been followed by a surge in new drilling, new LNG terminals and new fossil‑fuel infrastructure. This war risks hard‑wiring another generation of carbon dependence.”

How does our optimism stand against this level of wanton environmental abuse? The simple answer to that question is that we must stand against it, redoubling our efforts to do whatever we can care for our damaged planet and amend our energy appetites and use every gram of our ingenuity and creative resource to help others to do so.

So please, send us your ideas, your voice. The deadline is May 9.