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Eco-Warfare: Understanding the Environmental Consequences of Armed Conflict

Aparna Singh

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Indian Journal of Law and Human Behavior 10(2):p 82-85, July - Dec 2024. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijlhb.2454.7107.10224.2

How Cite This Article:

Aparna Singh, Eco-Warfare: Understanding the Environmental Consequences of Armed Conflict. Indian J Law Hum Behav 2024;10(2):82-85.

Timeline

Received : August 16, 2024         Accepted : September 16, 2024          Published : December 20, 2024

Abstract

Armed conflict has profound and often overlooked environmental consequences, which can have long-term effects on ecosystems and human populations. This study explores the concept of “eco-warfare,” focusing on how military activities, including the use of chemical weapons, landmines, and deforestation, directly and indirectly impact the environment. , This Paper highlights the destruction of natural habitats, contamination of water resources, and loss of biodiversity resulting from warfare. The study also delves into the role of legislation, international environmental laws and treaties in mitigating these impacts, assessing their effectiveness and proposing strategies for better enforcement. Through this exploration, the paper aims to raise awareness of the critical need for integrating environmental considerations into conflict resolution and post-war recovery efforts, ultimately advocating for more sustainable approaches to both warfare and peace building.


References

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  • 2.   Ibid.
  • 3.   Sayed Khodaberdi Sadat, ‘Afghanistan:Air pollution more dangerous than civil war’ (Anadolu Agency, 13 January 2020)
  • 4.   Abdullah Toukan, “The Gulf War and The Environment: The Need for a Treaty Prohibiting Ecological Destruction as a Weapon of War” (1991) 15,2 The Fletcher Forum of World Afairs 95,100.
  • 5.   Voices of young European journalists,‘Ukraine and the others: the environmental impacts of war’ ( European Union, 22 February 2022) accessed 8 September 2023.
  • 6.   Ibid.
  • 7.   Watson Institute For International AndPublicA򯿿airs,‘Environmental Costs’ (Cost of War, November 2019) accessed 5 September 2023.
  • 8.   Supra note 5.
  • 9.   Ambassador Marja Lehto, ‘Overcoming the disconnect: environmental protection and armed co Aicts’ (Humanitarian Law & Policy, 27 May 2021) accessed 6 September 2023.
  • 10.   Ibid.
  • 11.   Michael Bothe, ‘Protection of the environment in relation to armed conÁict—50yearsof effort, andno end in sight’ (2023) Environment and Security 10.1177/27538796231195601.
  • 12.   Guidelines on protection of environment during armed conÁict (International Committee of the Red Cross, 25 September 2020) accessed 3 September 2023.
  • 13.   The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar.org, 1 February 1982) accessed6September 2023.
  • 14.   The Convention on Biological Diversity 1993.
  • 15.   The Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora 1975.
  • 16.   Disaster Management Act [2005].
  • 17.   Ibid.
  • 18.   The United Nations General Assembly, ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ (un.org, 25 September 2015) accessed 5 September 2023.
  • 19.   United Nations Environment Programme, ‘Protection of the environment in areas a򯿿ectedbyarmedconÀict’(LEAP, 27 May 2016) accessed6September2023.
  • 20.   Denisa Ogoyi, ‘The Environmental Cost of War’ (Earth.org, 25 April 2022) accessed 4 September 2023.
  • 21.   Ibid.
  • 22.   Kira Kolesnik, Aleksi Heikkinen & Tiina Vaananen, ‘The Environmental Costs of ArmedConÀicts’(Environmental Auditing) accessed 5 September 2023.

Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest in this work.


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Cite this article

Aparna Singh, Eco-Warfare: Understanding the Environmental Consequences of Armed Conflict. Indian J Law Hum Behav 2024;10(2):82-85.


Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Received Accepted Published
August 16, 2024 September 16, 2024 December 20, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijlhb.2454.7107.10224.2

Keywords

Armed Conflict

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Received August 16, 2024
Accepted September 16, 2024
Published December 20, 2024

licence


Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


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