The UN General Assembly declared November 6 as the "International Day for the Prevention of Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict". The purpose of today is to raise society's awareness of the harmful effects of war and war conflicts on the environment.
The United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing the role of healthy ecosystems and sustainable resource management in reducing the risk of armed conflict, and reaffirmed its strong commitment to the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in General Assembly Resolution 70/1, entitled "Transformation of our world: Sustainable Development Program until 2030."
The dramatic legacy of armed conflicts is not only associated with destroyed cities and multitudes of missing people. The environment is a victim that is often forgotten, and is increasingly destroyed by military actions that can leave deep and indelible scars. The ongoing war in Ukraine will leave long-term consequences for the environment, which will not recover for decades. Just look at the parts of present-day Belgium and France, which still suffer from heavy metal pollution that was used in weapons during the First World War. The conflicts that have been going on in Afghanistan for decades have destroyed the country's forests. Entire ecosystems in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and the Congo have disappeared due to decades of warfare in those areas.
The environment was used as a supplementary weapon. During World War II, for example, waterways were submerged to prevent the advance of the army. In Vietnam, entire forests were destroyed by chemical means to drive out enemy fighters. Even today, in order to achieve military advantages, wells are polluted, crops are burned and the land is poisoned.
Prepared by: Andrea Božić