by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
On every International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) calls for tougher international laws to protect the environment in times of conflict.
Nothing, unfortunately, is being done in this regard. The best way to protect the environment, obviously, from the ravages of war would be an end of all wars and armed conflicts but, that, alas, is but wishful thinking, as humans just do not appear to be capable of living without it.
Environmental damage to air, water and land continues to be caused by the unregulated exploitation of natural resources, land mines and unexploded munitions, movement of heavy artillery and troops, chemical and oil spills, fires, and displaced people.
Detrimental environmental consequences also occur through deliberate acts of sabotage, such as the torching of oilfields, pollution of water supplies and the widespread use of defoliants. The impact on environmental governance is significant, as war can weaken the institutions in charge of environmental management.
We saw this only too well – the deliberate acts of sabotage that endangered the environment – when during the First Gulf War the oil fields were set ablaze. We see similar issues in Nigeria where again and again the oil pipelines are being attacked – some would say for understandable reasons – resulting in untold environmental damage.
Protection of the environment and sustainable resource management are inevitably low priorities compared to accommodating refugees and establishing regional security. However, CIWEM believes that unless we protect the environment during and after war, the chances of returning stability and prosperity to that area are limited.
Since 2001, 6th November has been the “International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict”. The United Nations (UN) considers that damage to the environment in times of war impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict is over, often extending beyond the limits of national territories and the present generation. The day highlights the importance of neither exploiting nor heedlessly damaging ecosystems in the pursuit of military objectives.
Nick Reeves, Executive Director of CIWEM, says: “Long term environmental damage is an inevitable consequence of war. The environment may seem a minor casualty but combined with the destruction of democratic informed decision-making, war prolongs human suffering and undermines the foundation for social progress and economic security. CIWEM demands a convention to examine the establishment of UN protocols for the protection of the environment. We also need to acknowledge that fighting occurs where resources are scarce due to over population, meaning we need sensible population policies. We must treat the environment and each other with more respect.”
Damage to the environment, in whichever way, prolongs the subsequent suffering of the people, displaced or not, as the damage may have impacted adversely on the ability of the land to produce food, for instance.
Another issue, compounding this, is the fact that many areas, and here especially fields and farmlands, often are littered with land mines and other unexploded ordnance and hence make work in the field impossible until such a time that such ordnance has been cleared from the lands. The latter, as we can see from places such Vietnam and Cambodia can take ages indeed and still to this day there are unexploded bits of ammunition, bomblets and such that pose a threat and still maim and kill.
© 2009
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