The Russian invasion in Ukraine has caused Life-threatening injuriesIncreasing global food crises, mass displacement and increasing levels of poverty
The conflict has also severely damaged Ukraine’s natural environment, highlighting how war contributes to climate change and devastates biodiversity.
Advocates and activists in Ukraine have documented hundreds environmental crimes that, they claim, are all connected. Justification for ecocideInternational courts. These crimes include attacks against industrial facilities that pollute groundwater supplies and airways, and the deliberate bombing wildlife refuges and other important ecosystems.
Each additional day of war makes it more difficult for Ukraine to rebuild its vibrant society, environment, and economy.
A growing narrative has suggested that the climate crisis is a national security concern and that military investments are required. While a changing environment can indeed threaten people, war is the best thing to fuel the crisis. It locks in the demand for oil, gas and coal, which in turn props up the global fossil fuel sector. According to the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS).
War is also bound to cause destruction, which results in widespread toxic substances and the death of wildlife.
Three Key Facts about How War Impacts Climate Crisis and the Environment
- Militaries use huge amounts of fossil fuels, which directly contributes to global warming. For example, if the US were a country, it would have 47th highest total emissions.
- Bombings, and other forms of modern warfare, directly harm biodiversity and wildlife. Up to 90% of large mammals in an area can be killed by conflict as a result of collateral damage.
- Pollution from war can contaminate water, soil, and air, making it unsafe for people to live in.
Warfare releases Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The world’s militaries account to 6% of all greenhouse gases emissions. Many governments don’t even report data on the emissions from military activities. According to the Guardian.
Dr. Stuart Parkinson, executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, said that those who report partial figures are often not accurate. Figures for military aircraft could be concealed under aviation, military tech industry underneath industry, military bases beneath public buildings, etc. It’s not just the general public that is unaware; policymakers and researchers are also unaware.
Militaria consume a lot of dirty energy even in peacetime. For example, 566,000 buildings are owned by the US Department of Defense. 40% of its fossil fuel consumption. These include training facilities and dormitories, as well as manufacturing plants and other buildings in the department. Nearly 800 bases around the world. Similar ministries of defense exist in countries like the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Consume the most fossil fuels among government agencies. Other countries with large militaries, such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, and Israel Do not report your emissions totalsThe pattern is expected to remain the same.
As countries around the world Spend more money on their militariesBoth with and without conflict, fossil fuel consumption is on the rise. While maintaining a military can contribute to climate changes, active warfare maximizes that potential.
For example, the US and its allies have fired More than 337,000Salon claims that there have been 20 years of bombings and missile attacks on other countries. These weapons were carried on the aircraft4.28 gallons per mileEach detonation releases additional greenhouse gas emissions and destroys natural carbon sinks such as soil, vegetation, trees.
According to the US War on Terror, more than 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses were released into our atmosphere.Watson InstituteBrown University has a greater warming effect than the annual emissions from 257 million cars.
If the US military was a country itself, it would have The 47th highest total global emissions, which is higher than the countries of Denmark and Sweden combined.
Pollution from War
The environmental impacts of war are much more immediate than those caused by greenhouse gases warming the atmosphere.
People living in conflict zones are particularly affected by pollution because they have to deal with polluted air, water, or soil.
In Afghanistan, people have been exposed to open air burn pits that are used by the army for waste disposal. These pits emit toxic fumes. These factors led to increased salesBoth veterans and locals have lower cancer rates.
Waste management in general tends to collapse during conflictIt is not unusual for households to dispose of household trash in unlined holes or bodies of water.
All of the tanks, heavy vehicles, and other vehicles involved in conflicts create abrasive particles. Discarded ammunition also leaches uranium into water supplies. According to CEOBS.
War can create a vacuum of power that can lead to illegal competition for natural resources. According to the United NationsIllegal logging, the deliberate setting of forest fires to clear land, as well as the extraction of precious minerals by highly toxic methods, are all examples.
Rebel groups in Colombia have been involved in illegal mining They filled water bodies with mercury.
The US army was a major player in the Vietnam War. Chemical warfare in scorched-earth formAgent Orange was used to destroy landscapes They still have an impact on people to this day..
Warfare in urban areas like the one in Ukraine causes significant damage to infrastructure, roads, buildings, and other structures. These can fill the air full of debris and rubbleThis makes it difficult to breathe.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also included attacks on facilities that produce dangerous chemicals like ammonia. This has threatened the safety and security of nearby communities.
In Yemen, Saudi Arabia has Continuously bombed infrastructure such as desalination plants and dams, and reservoirsCommunities are denied easy access to water.
These pollutants are not safe for marine ecosystems. In fact, warships release polluting substances. Extreme amounts waste are a problem in water bodies, degrading marine habitats.
Even in peacetime, military testing and manufacturing can lead to widespread pollution. The world’s militaries hold approximately 1% to 6% all the land. According to CEOBS. They are often allowed to experiment with banned chemicals on these lands.
War Destroys Wildlife and Natural Biodiversity
It has never been determined how much wildlife is lost to warfare. How many animals are killed? How many plants are destroyed? And how much biodiversity is lost forever.
Some of the approximations can be mind-blowing. The number of large animals in an area can drop by as much 90% during human conflict. Even a single year of warfare can lead to long-term wildlife losses. According to a Nature study.
Another study revealed that the Gorongosa National Park of Mozambique has lost its biodiversity. 95% of its biodiversityAfter a long civil conflict.
More than 5 million acres of forest land and 500,000 acres farmland were destroyed. Lush marshlands of Iraq They were reduced to 10% from their historic sizeSaddam Hussein, former President, directed major rivers to stop in order to crush an uprising. Afghanistan has lost nearly 95% of its forest cover in recent decades.
Landmines can be left unexplored for many years after a conflict. To kill and explode wildlife.
Conservationists are becoming more prominent Vocal opposition to warTo prevent the destruction of ecosystems that are vital to our collective well-being. Others who support peace point out that environmental destruction can fuel more war because it deprives people of essential resources and ways to live.
The climate crisis has been described as a threat for global security. However, ending war and securing peaceful resolutions are the best ways to ensure that we and the planet remain safe.
What can global citizens do to help?
Global Citizens can appeal to their governments to seek peace and the ending of conflicts worldwide by addressing root cause and taking steps quickly to phase out fossil fuels.
Take action now and demand climate action by clicking here.
