From Gaza to Ukraine and beyond, ongoing conflicts are not only causing widespread human suffering but also wreaking havoc on natural resources, including forests, farmland, and water systems. The environmental damage disrupts livelihoods, drives displacement, and fuels instability, often persisting long after hostilities end.
Speaking to the UN Security Council, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Foreign Minister Francess Piagie Alghali recalled the aftermath of her country’s civil war in 2002. “When the guns fell silent after a decade of conflict, our primary forests and savannahs also fell silent. We witnessed loss of biodiversity, forced migration of wildlife, and abandoned agricultural fields and swamps—all direct consequences of armed conflict.”
Long-Term Consequences
Sierra Leone currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council and hosted a debate on the environmental impact of conflict and climate-related security risks. With more armed conflicts ongoing today than at any time since World War II, roughly two billion people live in conflict-affected areas.
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), emphasized that environmental damage from wars drives hunger, disease, and displacement, worsening insecurity. Conflicts generate pollution, waste, and the destruction of vital ecosystems, with long-term implications for food security, water availability, health, and economic stability. Climate change further exacerbates tensions, sometimes triggering disputes over water and land.
Crop Loss, Pollution, and Flooding
Ms. Andersen highlighted specific cases: in Gaza, two years of war have destroyed 97% of tree crops, 95% of shrubland, and over 80% of annual crops. Freshwater and marine ecosystems have been contaminated by munitions, untreated sewage, and other pollutants, while more than 61 million tonnes of debris require careful removal.
In Ukraine, the June 2023 destruction of the Kakhova Dam flooded over 600 km² of land, causing massive habitat loss, ecosystem degradation, and destruction of plant and animal life.
Strengthening Legal and Global Frameworks
The debate coincided with the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War. Law Professor Charles C. Jalloh, of the UN International Law Commission (ILC), noted ongoing efforts to strengthen legal protections for the environment during armed conflict. While no universal treaty exists, the ILC’s 27 draft principles—adopted in 2022—aim to protect ecosystems before, during, and after hostilities, including in occupied territories.
Building Resilience and Recovery
Maranatha Dinat of World Relief, speaking from Haiti, stressed the need to link humanitarian action, climate adaptation, and peacebuilding to strengthen resilience and social cohesion. UNEP also called for rebuilding countries’ environmental management capacity, enabling sustainable development, economic recovery, and reduced dependence on aid.
Urgent Climate Action Needed
Highlighting the latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report, Ms. Andersen urged accelerated investment in climate adaptation and mitigation ahead of COP30 in Belém. “Every fraction of a degree avoided means lower losses for people and ecosystems—and greater opportunities for peace and prosperity,” she said.
