The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is a day to raise awareness and call for action to protect the environment from the devastating impacts of war and armed conflict. The environment is often an unpublicized victim of war, as water wells are polluted, crops torched, forests cut down, soils poisoned, and animals killed to gain military advantage or to destroy the livelihoods of the enemy. Moreover, the exploitation of natural resources is often a cause or a consequence of conflict, as over 40 per cent of all internal conflicts have been linked to the use of natural resources. Conflicts involving natural resources are also more likely to relapse and undermine peacebuilding efforts.
The United Nations recognizes the importance of ensuring that the environment is part of conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding strategies, as there can be no durable peace if the natural resources that sustain life are destroyed. The UN has passed resolutions to improve the protection of the environment in times of armed conflict and to integrate environmental issues into conflict assessments and planning. The UN also partners with other organizations and institutions to help countries identify, prevent and transform tensions over natural resources and to support post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery.
The International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict is a reminder of the need to act with greater urgency and responsibility to safeguard our planet from the scourge of war and violence. It is also a day to celebrate the resilience and ingenuity of those who work to protect and restore the environment in conflict-affected areas and to promote environmental cooperation and peace. The day reiterates the significance of the environment, even in armed conflicts.
