When War Strikes: The Devastating Toll on Mother Nature

Nuclear bombs are mankind's deadliest creation

When the war horn blares, it’s not just us who get trapped in conflicting forces—our planet equally becomes a sufferer of it. Nature has also been the victim of wars for ages.  The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has stated that armed conflicts & wars have caused around 20% of global deforestation since the end of World War II! We just cannot simply deny the devastating toll on Mother Nature. In this blog, let’s see how wars not only affect just nations but shake the core of our natural world.

Effects of War on Mother Nature

A war may satisfy the egos of nations. War may show the world armed powers of the conflicting nations. But sadly, it doesn’t spare any living and non-living matter on the earth.  Below, I am sharing some horrifying consequences of wars that have left non-healing scars on the world.

Effect of War on Forests

The US forces used mixture of fatal herbicides called Agent Orange to defoliate the dense forest & canopies

Between 1961 & 1971, the US forces sprayed 73 million litres of Agent Orange and napalm to defoliate dense forest covers and canopies to fight against guerilla fighters in Vietnam. Agent Orange is a toxic mix of plant-killing herbicides which contain dioxins. This chemical ruthlessly damaged the 4.5 million acres of forest & canopies. This also killed around 50% of coastal mangroves. These chemicals were so harsh that severe soil & water contamination has led to the spread of many fatal diseases.

Effect of War on Birds & Animals

Wars have affected the flying pattern of migratory birds

Ornithologist Mohammad Khalique has stated that the Russia-Ukraine War has affected the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) of migratory birds. India gets winged visitors from Central Europe, Serbia, Russia and China every year in the winter. Many ornithologists believe that migratory birds visiting the wetlands are avoiding the traditional route due to conflicts & military actions (let’s not forget climate change). The founder of the birding club Birds of Kashmir, Irfan Jeelani, also stated to VOA, that birds coming from Europe to Kashmir may have changed their route to reach Kashmir, however, the weaker ones, would have failed to reach the destination. Some studies have also stated that the movement of birds has been affected due to hunting pressure during long conflicts, habitat loss, and so on.

Wake Island Rail, a flightless bird is extinct due to over consumption of Japanese soldiers

I was also shocked to learn about an occurrence during WWII—stranded & hungry Japanese soldiers caused the extinction of a flightless bird species called Wake Island Rail! They consumed these birds to the point that these birds stopped to exist. Just like birds, wars also pose a danger to animals. The Revelator also reported that wars have also declined many other species like gorillas, elephants, bonobos and many other species. Military research departments use many sheep, pigs, rodents, & primates to test & develop military weapons. These animals are also tested in the laboratory for the toxicity levels in the weapons. Thus, such animals are killed while testing the safety of the weapons.

Effect of War on Marine Ecosystems

As per Nicole Lovenduski, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, the soot formation in wars blocks the stratosphere rapidly. This causes the prevention of travel of sunlight to oceans approximately for a decade. Additionally, she has further stated that nuclear wars can really mess up the climate system of the earth. Military weapons, aircraft, & submarines also adversely affect marine life—they cause noise and chemical pollution. Researchers have also claimed that military actions are responsible for 5.5% of greenhouse gases & emissions (GHGs). Excess GHGs cause ocean acidification, causing pH imbalance in the aquatic ecosystem.

Dolphins & many other marine animals face acoustic trauma due sonar technology of submarines

Many reports have mentioned that the war in the Black Sea has caused acoustic trauma to marine animals. Around 50,000 Black Sea dolphins died in the first year of the Ukraine-Russia War. Many dolphins are said to be washed on the shores; however, the exact number could never be confirmed as most of the dead dolphins sink to the bottom of the sea. Naval exercises are also not behind in the race—roughly 26 short-beaked dolphins were washed off in Cornwall in 2008 due to naval activity.

Bottom line

It doesn’t matter what the magnitude of the war is, it has caused innumerable and devastating tolls on Mother Nature. UNEP, for the past 60 years, the natural resources have been exploited due to 40% of the internal conflicts. Mining, deforestation, heavy military exercises, chemical, & biological warfare have exacted a heavy price on forests & oceans.

However, Marie Jacobsson, a special rapporteur to the UN’s International Law Commission, stated that there is evidence that militaries around the world are “accepting” the negative impacts on nature & taking environmental measures to reduce carbon footprints on the earth. While many countries are “obliged” to follow the environmental regulations & frameworks, there are still some nations where such legal frameworks have not yet been reached.

What are your thoughts on the legal frameworks established by nations to mitigate the carbon footprints resulting from warfare? Feel free to share this blog with your friends and share your thoughts with us!

Say no to war

Sources

https://issuu.com/wimbledonhighschool/docs/owls_viii_trees/s/12197983

https://www.voanews.com/a/war-in-ukraine-blamed-for-missing-migratory-birds-in-kashmir-/6923709.html

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/bhopal-missing-migratory-birds-blame-ukraine-war/articleshow/106590723.cms

https://ceobs.org/how-animals-are-harmed-by-armed-conflicts-and-military-activities/

https://therevelator.org/war-harms-wildlife/#:~:text=War%20causes%20scarcity%2C%20which%20furthers,of%20disease%20and%20invasive%20species.

https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2023/05/31/large-or-small-nuclear-war-would-wreak-havoc-ocean

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20221222-how-the-war-in-ukraine-is-killing-marine-mammals

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/how-modern-warfare-reshapes-ecosystems/

https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/06/whats-the-environmental-impact-of-modern-war