Gaza is not just a human crisis, it’s an environmental one too

The conflict in Gaza is one of the most recent reminders that conflicts continue to inflict ecological damage worldwide. 

Gaza, once home to around 2.1 million people, has been under attack for over 2 years. With devastating effects on infrastructure, human suffering and violent attacks, this war is not only a human crisis, it’s an environmental one too. 

More than 39 million tons of war debris blanket the strip, polluting water systems, poisoning soil health and threatening long-term ecological collapse. 

There are currently over 56 active conflicts, that is more than a quarter of the global population living in war-torn areas, with the environmental impact of war being frequently overlooked. Whether it’s habitat destruction, pollution, or biodiversity loss, war has far reaching implications. It impacts our planet too. 

A history of war and environmental impact

All over the world conflict has left deep ecological wounds. In 1961-1971, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed over 80 million litres of herbicide primarily on forested land, resulting in mass biodiversity loss, habitat decimation and soil and water systems contaminated. 

More recently, studies of the Ukraine-Russia War, which started in 2022, have shown how intense bombing and trench excavations are catastrophically damaging soil fertility and landscape morphology. 

This is particularly detrimental because Ukraine contains large areas of chernazem soil, some of the most fertile and organic-rich soils found globally. Environmental scientist Dr. Paulo Pereira, who leads research on sustainability at Mykolas Romeris University, notes that the conflict has already had detrimental impacts on biodiversity. Supporting this an estimated 96% of Ukraine's wetland sites have also been affected by war, from fires, flooding, pollution and landmines. Ukraine is not an isolated case. These environmental consequences from war are occurring globally. 

As Inger Anderson, Executive Director of the UN Environmental Programme warns “conflicts lead to pollution, waste, and the destruction of critical ecosystems, with long-term implications for food security, water security, the economy and health”.

Conflict in Gaza: “irreversible damage to its natural ecosystems”

In June 2024, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), published a preliminary environmental assessment of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, revealing just how the war was affecting the growing soil, water and air pollution, as well as the risks of “irreversible damage to its natural ecosystems”. 

The assessment found that over 39 million tons of debris had been produced by the war. Debris can be extremely harmful not only to human health but to the environment as well, from dust and microplastics to hazardous chemical pollutants, which can run into water systems, contaminating soil and affecting the health of all organisms around. 

When ecosystems are damaged, the communities that depend on them are directly affected, as environmentalist and founder of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson reminds us, “humans are part of nature, not apart from it”. The environmental consequences from conflicts raise urgent questions about the cost of war, not just for nature but for the people and communities who rely on it.

Yet even when habitats are destroyed, some ecological recoveries and restorations are possible under specific conditions. Aquatic marine biologist, Michael J Lawrence, makes a strong point, although conflict often degrades the environment, military activity can be beneficial under specific conditions. 

He explains that exclusion zones may be created, resulting in increased species population and recovery. Furthermore, the fast-development of military technology such as GPS, drones and biotelemetry have all proven invaluable tools for conservation scientists, when used for peaceful purposes. This highlights how science and careful conservation management can support biodiversity even in conflict zones. 

For decades wars have ravaged lands, people’s homes and ecosystems. The environmental cost of war takes its form in pollution, land degradation and biodiversity loss. While it may be futile to find the silver lining of war, through technological developments, military tools have been repurposed for peaceful, conservation practices. 

The environmental implications of war should be studied further and new strategies of how to restore and protect damaged ecosystems must be implemented, not just for nature but for the people who depend on it. As environmentalist David Orr reminds us, “When we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves.” As the world watches the catastrophic human impact the Gaza War is experiencing, we must acknowledge that the soil, air, water and nature of these war-torn areas are silently crying out for urgent help. 

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By Bea Noakes, she is a recent graduate from the University of the West of England, where she studied BSc Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. With a background in media and communications, she is passionate about using digital media to inspire and share current environmental issues to spread awareness and positive change. Her work focuses on connecting people with nature through accessible, engaging science communication, with the aim of motivating pro-environmental action to protect our natural world.