Though humanity has always counted its war casualties in terms of dead and wounded soldiers and civilians, destroyed cities and livelihoods, the environment has often remained the unpublicised victim of war. No one knows how many trees have been destroyed, how much land has been laid waste, and how many animals have been killed, how much water wells have been polluted when the horrors of war are calculated.
It will be forgotten as if nothing happened. Environment is the silent victim of armed conflict. The International Day for the Prevention of Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is observed around the world on November 6 to remind us not to forget the injuries caused to the environment and to raise awareness of the far-reaching damage it causes.
History: On November 5, 2001, the UN General Assembly declared November 6 of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. On May 27, 2016, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted resolution UNEP/EA.2/Res.15, which recognized the role of healthy ecosystems and sustainably managed resources in reducing the risk of armed conflict, and reaffirmed its strong commitment to the full implementation.
Background: This day can be traced back to the early 1970s when global concerns about the ecological effects of war started to grow. The use of herbicides (like Agent Orange during the Vietnam War) and the deliberate destruction of oil wells in the 1990s Gulf War highlighted that environmental damages spawned by armed conflicts should be mitigated.
However, it raised concerns among people and thus the UN convened experts and member states to discuss the environmental effects of war and conflicts. This led to the resolution which marked the beginning of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
Significance of the day:
- Nearly 1.5 billion people, over 20 per cent of the world’s population, live in conflict-affected areas and fragile states.
- War and armed conflict present a risk for humanity and other forms of life on our planet. Too many lives, and species, are at stake.
- Decades of ugly wars in countries such as Afghanistan, Colombia or Iraq have led to the immense loss of natural resources. In Afghanistan alone, we have witnessed astounding deforestation rates which have reached 95 per cent in some areas.
- In 2017, the Islamic State triggered vast toxic clouds by setting ablaze oil wells and a sulfur factory near the Iraqi city of Mosul, poisoning the landscape and people.
- Critical biodiversity hotspots in Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan have offered cover and refuge for rebel groups.
- This has been disastrous for wildlife and forest conservation as these habitats have opened the doors to illegal logging, unregulated mining, massive poaching and breeding grounds for invasive species.
- Elephant populations have been decimated in DR Congo and Central African Republic, while in Ukraine the Siverskyi Donets River has been further damaged by pollution from the conflict.
- In Gaza, Yemen, and elsewhere, water infrastructure, from groundwater wells to wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations to desalination plants have been damaged, posing environmental and public health risks.
- It would be a dangerous mistake to ignore these environmental consequences of conflict, and the international community needs to act with greater urgency.
- Since the 2014 hostilities and especially since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Thousands of instances of air, water, land and soil pollution, as well as damage to ecosystems, have been identified, including hazards to neighbouring countries. The war has also had a negative impact on Ukraine's rich biodiversity. Forest fires and acts of deforestation, explosions, the building of fortifications, and the poisoning of the soil and water all impact wildlife and destroy natural habitats, including those protected in the biosphere reserves and national parks, many of which are also a part of the pan-European Emerald Network.
Major goals of the day:
- Environmental Safety During Conflict
- Promoting Peace and Sustainability
- International Collaboration: Facilitates a global forum for discussing environmental conservation during conflicts where nations cooperate to develop effective strategies to minimise environmental destruction.
- Safeguarding Human Well-being: It focuses on the health impacts of environmental degradation during war and exposure to hazardous substances and polluted resources.
- Advocating Legal Frameworks: Promotes the upholding of international legal regimes of environmental protection during conflicts and observance of accords like the 1977 Geneva Conventions.
- Raising Public Awareness: By observing this, organizations and governments can increase public awareness about the environmental impacts of armed conflict and receive more support for initiatives that seek to eliminate them.
What should be done?: The environment must in itself be seen as worth protecting to prevent states from using the environment as a means of warfare. It can be questioned whether international humanitarian law is enough to prevent this. Article 35 and Article 55 of Additional Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions prohibit warfare that causes widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the natural environment.
However, the threshold to fulfil the requirements of widespread, long-term, and severe damage is set very high which makes it hard to establish a violation.
Actions recommended by the UN:
- Reduce environmental damages during armed conflicts
- Prevent disputes from escalating into war.
- Help restore peace following the outbreak of armed conflict.
- Promote lasting peace in societies emerging from wars.
- Improve the understanding of the complex relationship between women and natural resources in conflict-affected settings.
- Make the case for pursuing gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable natural resource management together in support of peacebuilding
- Develop activities to restore ecosystem and prevent environmental degration Message from UN Secreatary General António Guterres: "If we are to achieve the SDGs, we need to act boldly and urgently to reduce the risks that environmental degradation and climate change present for conflict and commit to protecting our planet from the debilitating effects of war."
