10/04/2026
PRESS RELEASE
Lumad Youth for Climate Justice Condemn US-Iran Aggression, Call for Climate Accountability
April 2026
The Lumad youth stand in strong condemnation of the continuing aggression and militarized conflict between the United States and Iran—an escalating war that not only threatens human lives but accelerates the global climate crisis.
Recent reports show that the ongoing conflict has already caused massive destruction to critical infrastructure, disrupted global energy systems, and intensified fossil fuel dependence. The war has destabilized oil supply chains and petrochemical industries—further locking the world into destructive extractive systems that drive climate change.
Beyond human casualties, war is also a climate disaster. In just the first two weeks of fighting, the conflict generated an estimated 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, worsening the already fragile global carbon budget.
This exposes a painful truth: war is incompatible with climate justice.
War as Climate Violence
Bombings of oil facilities, destruction of water systems, and toxic pollution from military operations have long-term ecological impacts. Environmental damage—from air contamination to water insecurity—is often ignored, yet it disproportionately affects marginalized and indigenous communities worldwide.
For Lumad communities in the Philippines, this reality is deeply familiar. Militarization, resource extraction, and environmental destruction have long gone hand in hand. What is happening in Iran reflects the same system that displaces indigenous peoples, exploits ancestral lands, and sacrifices ecosystems for geopolitical power.
Holding Governments Accountable
We call out the governments involved—especially global superpowers—for perpetuating cycles of war that endanger both people and the planet.
At a time when the world should be urgently transitioning away from fossil fuels, this conflict has instead intensified dependence on oil and gas, exposing the vulnerability of global energy systems.
War is not only a failure of diplomacy—it is a failure of climate responsibility.
We demand:
•Immediate ceasefire and de-escalation of hostilities
• Accountability for environmental destruction caused by military actions
•Redirection of military spending toward climate adaptation and mitigation
Protection of indigenous peoples and frontline communities affected by both war and climate change.
Climate Justice is Peace
As Lumad youth, we assert that climate justice cannot exist without peace, and peace cannot exist without justice.
The billions spent on war should instead fund renewable energy, climate resilience, and community-led solutions. Continued militarization only deepens inequality, displaces vulnerable populations, and accelerates ecological collapse.
We stand in solidarity with all affected communities and call on the international community to act—not only to end the war—but to dismantle the systems that make such destruction possible.
No to war. No to imperialist aggression.
Yes to climate justice. Yes to indigenous rights
