Gaza has endured over 3 years of bombing, starvation, and occupation. The climate community has a duty to show up and call for an end to the genocide, and to the escalated attacks on the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. There is NO Climate Justice without the full liberation of Palestine.
![Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change, and Nature,
As environmental organizations, we are disappointed to hear you are voting against the No More Loopholes Act. Addressing the devastation and loss of life that Canada's military exports play a key role in is fundamental to any meaningful green future.
The military industry causes irreparable damage to our planet and civilization. Unchecked military trade, allowed under current loopholes, directly exacerbates the climate and biodiversity crises. The F-35 jets, for which Canadian manufacturers like Honeywell Aerospace and Héroux-Devtek manufacture essential components, are used to bomb civilians and have a massive carbon footprint, burning 1,340 gallons of oil an hour. [1] [2] The US military itself is known to be the largest institutional carbon emitter in the world, surpassing the emissions of many industrialized nations like Portugal or Sweden. [3] The fuel from F-35 jets in Gaza alone contributed to approximately 281,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions in the first sixty days of bombardment alone. [4]
We must not forget about the loss of human life this loophole has caused.
In a recent report, the human rights organization World Beyond War noted that one factory in Quebec produces the material for the 2,000 pound 'MK-84' bombs:
These bombs have a "lethal radius" of "up to 360 meters and the blast wave can cause severe injury as far as 800 meters from the point of impact. The powerful blast wave alone can rupture lungs, tear limbs from bodies, and burst sinus cavities. For this reason, human rights organizations and weapons experts warn that explosive weapons with wide-area effects - such as 2,000-pound air-dropped bombs - should not be used in populated civilian areas because their blast effects cannot be contained.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:uwrncb5pnszywq2awn24vm6f/bafkreidqubj3xawm3ixcnwdf6uy6vj4zhb5tgelccgyphnrxue4zlfd2ry)
![Yet through loophole these Canadian-manufactured bombs have been dropped on camps on the people of Gaza. [5]
These weapons that Canada is sending through the US have a direct impact on global biodiversity and ecological health. In Gaza specifically, endless bombing of civilian areas has decimated local ecosystems. The bombing of infrastructure has released 60,000 cubic meters of sewage water into surrounding habitats as of 2024, along with other toxic pollutants. [6] A report by the Avara Institute for Environmental Studies warns that, "with an estimated 15 million tons of rubble from the destruction of over 88,868 buildings, it is projected that this could yield a minimum of 900,000 tons of toxic waste." [4]
The resulting devastation will take decades to clean up and will impact local communities for generations to come. In 2024, it was estimated that simply recycling half of the debris in Gaza would take 45 years. It is estimated that up to 50% of Wadi Gaza, a river valley with many native species of flora and fauna, has also been destroyed. [6]
The consequences of war on the climate, ecosystems, and human health in the region are already evident. The No More Loopholes Act would directly and materially prevent Canadian arms from being used in human rights and environmental catastrophes. Canadian bombs and F35 parts would no longer contribute to this colossal scale of environmental and human destruction.
Your lack of support for this bill is an appalling violation of your support for climate action. The worst impacts of the climate crisis can only be tackled through the steadfast support of human rights.
Prime Minister Carney has been clear: Canada must not follow in the footsteps of the United States. In an era of increasing destabilization of international law, Canada still has the opportunity to become an](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:uwrncb5pnszywq2awn24vm6f/bafkreigi4kwdcq7bm3qnyef5m7mqqrxjz3da7rop3vazp3wihn7kidyl6q)
