Environmental War: Hostile Manipulations of the Environment

Using US Natural Resource Damage Assessment to understand the environmental consequences of the war in Ukraine

“…Biodiversity is further affected by soil erosion caused by military movements and damage from bombing, deforestation, water scarcity, contamination, and invasive species overcoming fragile, damaged, or unprotected ecosystems (Khan, 2022). The indirect impacts, either unintended or incidental, include the alterations to land and waterways caused by military preparations, installations, and operations; the exodus of civilian populations; and refugee camps outside war zones that affect land, habitats, and natural resources, creating further pollution and waste (Khan, 2022;Westing, 2009Westing, , 2012). War's direct and indirect repercussions on the environment are often so far-reaching that the impacts are rarely understood until many years after the cessation of hostilities.…”