Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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November 6, 2025 Peace and security
The UN Security Council warned on Thursday that wars and climate change are destroying ecosystems, displacing millions of people, leading to famine and threatening stability, creating a vicious cycle of disasters and conflicts.
At a meeting convened at the initiative of Sierra Leone, which holds the Security Council presidency in November, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, Professor of International Law Charles Jalloh, and World Relief Haiti Coordinator Maranatha Dinath presented data on the scale of environmental destruction – from the Gaza Strip and Ukraine to the Caribbean – and called for urgent action to protect nature during conflicts.
UNEP chief: Conflicts destroy ecosystems and undermine security
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), recalled that November 6 marks International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, established by the UN General Assembly.
"The environmental damage caused by armed conflicts destroys ecosystems and natural resources for decades to come, often transcending national borders and extending beyond a single generation," she said.
Andersen emphasized that the environmental consequences of wars lead to hunger, disease, and human displacement. "Conflicts lead to environmental pollution, land litter, and ecosystem destruction, which have long-term consequences for food and water security, the economy, and human health," she said.
According to UNEP, 97 percent of cultivated trees, 95 percent of shrubs, and 82 percent of annual crops have been destroyed in the Gaza Strip since 2023. In the past decade, 180 cases of deliberate attacks on water infrastructure were recorded in Libya, Syria, and Yemen.
© UNDP/N. Timchenko
Flooded area of Kherson, Ukraine.
“Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam "The flooding of more than 600 square kilometers of land in Ukraine has resulted in significant loss of natural habitats, vegetation, and biodiversity due to prolonged flooding of ecosystems," Andersen added.
According to the head of UNEP, climate change also exacerbates tensions and, in some cases, contributes to conflict. Conflicts rarely have a single cause, but climate change is often a contributing factor, she noted, quoting the UN Secretary-General: "Both climate disasters and conflicts exacerbate inequalities, undermine livelihoods, and force people to flee their homes."
Andersen outlined three priorities for action: rebuilding national environmental management capacity, strengthening collaboration across sectors, and increasing investments in climate change adaptation in conflict-affected countries. According to her, such countries receive only $2 in climate finance per capita, compared to $162 in stable countries. Furthermore, efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change are also needed.
“Every fraction of a degree of warming avoided means fewer losses for people and ecosystems – and more opportunities for peace and prosperity,” concluded Inger Andersen.
A unified legal framework is needed to protect nature during wars
Professor of international law and member of the UN International Law Commission Charles Jalloh noted that the existing international legal protection of nature during conflicts remains a "mosaic of norms" rather than a coherent system. He recalled, in particular, the provisions of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit the use of methods of warfare that are likely to cause "widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the natural environment."
Effective protection, Jalloh continued, remains elusive because these norms were originally designed for inter-state conflicts and are poorly applicable to the civil wars that make up the majority of modern conflicts.
“Significant efforts are being made to strengthen the international legal framework in the field of environmental protection,” the rapporteur noted.
He explained that in 2022, the International Law Commission adopted 27 principles for the protection of the environment in armed conflict, covering periods before, during, and after conflicts, including situations of occupation. One of these stipulates that states and international organizations participating in peacekeeping operations must consider the environmental impacts of their actions and take measures to prevent and remedy harm. Furthermore, in 2020, the International Committee of the Red Cross updated its Guidelines for the Protection of the Environment in Armed Conflict.
The rapporteur proposed that the Security Council encourage the incorporation of these principles and guidelines into national legislation and military manuals. He also called for consideration of the possibility of recognizing ecocide as an international crime and the creation of a mechanism for monitoring environmental damage during conflicts that could address compensation issues.
United Nations News Service
Destruction in Gaza.
“Given the ongoing conflicts primarily in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, which I would like to focus on, we are witnessing not only significant loss of human life but also, according to UNEP, ‘unprecedented levels of environmental damage in the Gaza Strip, with damage to its soil, freshwater supplies and coastline,’” Jalloh emphasized.
“The environment is not an abstraction, but the living space, well-being and health of people, including future generations,” Jalloh quoted the 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.
In Haiti, both nature and security are under attack.
Representative of the NGO World Relief Maranata Dinat spoke about the severe environmental and humanitarian situation in Haiti, where nearly 98 percent of the forest cover has disappeared, leading to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and falling crop yields.
"Degradation undermines the livelihoods of already vulnerable rural communities and increases internal displacement, as well as exacerbates conflicts over natural resources, especially water and land," she said.
According to her, climate change is exacerbating these pressures: hurricanes, floods, and droughts are destroying infrastructure and exacerbating food and social instability. Meanwhile, armed violence, particularly in Port-au-Prince, is limiting humanitarian access and forcing people to seek refuge in unsafe areas.
"Imagine a mother living in one of the capital's most vulnerable neighborhoods. Her home, already weakened by erosion, is flooded after heavy rains. She is forced to flee with her children, crossing gang-controlled neighborhoods and taking dangerous routes to reach a makeshift camp. This is the reality for thousands of Haitian families," Dinat described the situation.
At the same time, young people are forced to leave poor rural areas only to find themselves in urban areas experiencing violence, unemployment and social exclusion.
Dinat emphasized that the environmental, climate, and humanitarian crises are interconnected and require a comprehensive approach. All these factors—forced displacement, extreme climate conditions, and armed violence—create a vicious cycle that is difficult to break. "We need to strengthen the link between humanitarian assistance, climate adaptation, and peacebuilding," the speaker stated.
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