Climate change, lingering inequalities and the resulting deprivations prevalent around the world need more attention and greater resource commitments. However, what we are seeing instead, in our tumultuous world, is a rise in military spending.

Amidst ongoing crises within the Middle East, Russia's war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical tensions due to great power competition, countries around the world are funneling more funds towards defence spending at a pace unmatched since the end of the Cold War. According to the latest estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), military expenditure worldwide rose by 9.4% in 2024 alone.

Despite cumulative military expenses having exceeded $2.7 trillion, SIPRI estimates that many countries are now poised to boost military capabilities, which will lead to even higher defence budgets in coming years. While it would certainly take much less money than is being poured into already bloated defence expenditures to vastly........

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