5% for Weapons? Rethinking NATO’s Cost of Militarised Spending Priorities
In 2024, NATO members agreed to a bold new target: 5% of GDP for defence by 2035. That includes 3.5% for core military spending and 1.5% for related infrastructure, cyber defence, and intelligence systems.
It’s a sharp rise from the previous 2% benchmark—and it comes at a time when communities are already under pressure from inflation, austerity, and climate breakdown.
So we have to ask: What are we defending, and who benefits from this version of “security”?
What the Cost of Militarised Numbers Say (2025):
New NATO spending goal: 5% of GDP by 2035
- Breakdown: 3.5% core defence + 1.5% additional (cyber, infrastructure)
- Spain has been granted an exemption—all 31 other members signed on
- Weapons industry stocks have soared since the announcement
(Source: NATO official reports, May–June 2025 Summit coverage)
Explore NATO Further:
- NATO’s 5% Pledge: What It Means – Politico
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- Transnational Institute: Militarism and Austerity
- Costs of War Project – Brown University
Take Action:
If you believe peace isn’t built by profit margins:
- Speak up about spending priorities in your country
- Share this video with people who think peace equals force
- Join those reimagining what real security looks like
My Reflections
“Spending 5% of national wealth on militarisation—while schools close, hospitals are underfunded, and climate resilience is sidelined—doesn’t feel like safety to me. It feels like a dangerous distraction from the crises that actually threaten our lives.”
#PeaceNotPosture
FAQ’s
What is militarised security?
Militarised security refers to the belief that safety comes from weapons, armies, and force. It often drives massive spending on defense—while social and ecological needs go underfunded.
Why question how much is “enough”?
In a time of climate collapse and rising inequality, we must ask whether more weapons make us safer—or if they distract from real solutions like diplomacy, care, and ecological repair.
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