As the world burns and sea levels rise, global military spending increased to more than $2 trillion (US) in 2021,
according to figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) today - the Global Day of
Action on Military Spending.
SIPRI has estimated global military expenditure last year was at least $2,113 billion (US), the first time it has
exceeded $2 trillion (US): an average of more than $5.78 billion (US) every day. This comprised a 6.1% nominal increase
since 2020 (0.7% when adjusted for inflation). [1]
By way of contrast, on average 14,000 children under the age of five died every day last year from mainly preventable
causes - lack of access to adequate food, clean water and basic medicines - a figure UNICEF describes as
“unconscionable”. [2] This is one of the prices paid, the collateral damage that is seldom talked about, for maintaining
armed forces in a state of combat readiness around the world.
It is inexcusable that many states - including New Zealand - continue to prioritise spending on combat-ready armed
forces over human health and wellbeing, and care for the planet. Over the past two years the COVID-19 pandemic has
devastated lives and livelihoods around the world, highlighted and exacerbated systemic social, economic and political
inequities, and exposed multiple flaws in government spending and other priorities, including the folly of maintaining
armed forces in a constant state of combat readiness when there are so many other more pressing needs.
It is more obvious than ever before that military spending does nothing to address the major global threats and their
local impacts, whether a pandemic, obscene levels of poverty and social inequality, or the escalating climate
catastrophe - instead, military spending diverts resources that could be put to far better use.
Every dollar of military expenditure is a dollar taken away from socially useful spending - a dollar that could be used
to take real action on climate change, to ensure a decent standard of living for all, and to ensure health and social
welfare systems can function well in national, regional or global emergencies: it is a dollar that could be used to save
lives, to promote flourishing communities and care for the planet, rather than being spent on endless preparations for
war.
The five largest spenders in 2021 were the US, China, India, Britain and Russia, which together accounted for 62% of
world military spending, while the US and China accounted for 52%. [1] Military expenditure increased in three of the
world’s five regions in 2021 - Asia and Oceania (3.5%), Europe (3.0%) and Africa (1.2 %) - while decreasing in the
Middle East (-3.3 %) and the Americas (1.2 %). Overall in 2021, the military burden (military expenditure as a share of
gross domestic product), was 2.2%, while average military spending as a share of government expenditure was 5.9 %. [1]
New Zealand's military spending
While New Zealand does not feature in the SIPRI table ranking the highest increases in military spending around the
world this year as it did in 2020 [3], that is simply because other states increased their spending by more, not because
there has been any reduction in New Zealand’s military spending.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, essential public services including health, education, support for persons with
disabilities, and housing desperately needed increased spending, yet the New Zealand government continues to prioritise
military spending.
In last year’s ‘Wellbeing’ Budget, military spending was a total of $5,188,350,000 (NZ), on average $99.7 million (NZ)
every week - a 10.6% increase on actual spending in 2020. [4] The spectre of an additional $20 billion (NZ) to be spent
over the next decade on increased combat capability, warships and military aircraft continues to threaten the
possibility of substantive action on human health and wellbeing, and climate justice. [4]
The ongoing prioritising of military spending - whether here in Aotearoa or around the world - is a reflection of a
dominant violent ideology that focuses on outdated narrow military security concepts, rather than real human security
that meets the needs of all, and it continues to harm the future of humanity and the planet.
It is truly shameful that military spending continues to rise in the midst of a global pandemic and rapidly worsening
climate catastrophe - a transition from combat-ready armed forces to civilian agencies that meet the needs of all
peoples and the planet is long overdue. [5]
The IPCC has warned [6] the time for action is now if we want to have a liveable future: it is time to invest in the
future for peoples and planet, and budget for peace - not war.
Resources and references:Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign on Military Spending, http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/gdams.htm
SIPRI, https://www.sipri.org
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[1] ‘World military expenditure passes $2 trillion for first time’, SIPRI, 25 April 2022, and ‘Trends in world military
expenditure 2021’, SIPRI Fact Sheet, April 2022, both are available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/gdams.htm
[2] ‘Levels and Trends in Child Mortality: Report 2021’, UN Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, December
2021, https://data.unicef.org/resources/levels-and-trends-in-child-mortality/
[3] ‘Global military spending increases, New Zealand ranks in report’, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 27 April 2020, http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nzgdams2020.pdf
[4] ‘Military spending increases in Budget 2021’, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 20 May 2021, http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nzbudget2021.pdf
[5] As outlined, for example, in ‘Military spending increases in Budget 2021’, note above.
[6] See, for example, The evidence is clear: the time for action is now’, IPCC, 4 April 2022, https://www.ipcc.ch/2022/04/04/ipcc-ar6-wgiii-pressrelease