Thunderous detonation, bursts of bright light, the earth trembling beneath the people of Ukraine. This is what is felt amongst the war-torn borders of Russia and Ukraine. The Russo-Ukrainian War is causing immense strain not only in these nations but also on the global environment. The affected areas are plagued with direct pollution with pollutant concentrations up to 27% higher than expected in Kyev, the capital of Ukraine. These toxic pollutants have contaminated surrounding soils, in addition to the air and water needed by the Ukrainian residents. The high fertility of Ukrainian chernozem, which is darkly pigmented soil that produces high agricultural yields, was severally impacted by these toxins. This was the very same soil that made the country one of the world’s largest grain exporters. Due to this war, over 6 million Ukrainian civilians have limited or no access to clean water as well, and an estimated 7,150 civilians have perished according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Animals in Ukraine have been equally fatally impacted by the bombings and fires as humans, forcing helpless creatures to evacuate their homes. The animals in Ukraine account for approximately 35% of Europe’s biodiversity, with over 70 thousand flora and fauna species in the country, meaning the disruption of these habitats would have a significant impact on all of Europe’s wildlife. The World Wildlife Fund has released a statement saying that more than nearly 692,000 acres of forests have been destroyed as a result of this conflict.
Environmental damage as a result of war lasts for decades, and in some instances, centuries. A
dditionally, the weapons used during these wars continue to raise the carbon footprint in the region, leading to more significant environmental hazards. In the long term, the risks will escalate and more greenhouse gasses will be locked into the atmosphere, increasing the chance of climate change-relate
d disasters. The Russo-Ukraine War has led directly to emissions of 33 million tons of greenhouse gasses that warm the Earth's atmosphere, claimed Ruslan Strilets, Ukraine's environmental protection minister. He went on to say that the Russians had turned their natural reserves into military bases. This global huma
nitarian crisis has affected intercontinental foundations and organizations’ partnerships with Russia in many regards, including the environmental projects planned with their collaboration. The Arctic programs, the growing rate at which snow and ice are melting due to global climate change, were paused in Northern Russia. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only initiated an international humanitarian crisis, but it's also causing long-lasting negative effects on the environment as well as the climate in that region. It will take a long period of time for the pollution and toxic substances to dematerialize, but even before that, the likelihood of hospitalization and possible deat
h increases for those in the area. The Ukrainian government addresses this war-related environmental destruction as an 'ecocide' and hopes to gain the support of the international community to make Russia fund the reconstruction and recovery process.
In conclusion, the consequences of the Russo-Ukrainian war have had a detrimental impact on the environment, specifically in Eastern Europe. War has only brought surging death rates, shattered dreams, and the ruination of cities and nature. The global climate has also been greatly influenced by this upheaval, facing rising levels of undrinkable water and air filled with toxic gasses and particles. Many more innocent civilians have died as ‘collateral damage’, in battle and through the lack of sustainable resources. The urgency to cease the war is prevalent, considering the early graves both humans and the earth will be taken to if this tribulation is enabled to continue.
Sources:
TRTWorld. 'An Ecocide': How the Conflict in Ukraine Is Bombarding the Environment, TRT World, 28 Apr. 2022, https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/an-ecocide-how-the-conflict-in-ukraine-is-bombarding-the-environment-56730.
“Ukraine and the Others: The Environmental Impacts of War.” European Youth Portal, https://youth.europa.eu/year-of-youth/young-journalists/ukraine-and-others-environmental-impacts-of-war_en.
Anonymous, Authored by. “The War in Ukraine Is an Environmental Catastrophe.” The Union, 8 Dec. 2022, https://theunion.org/news/the-war-in-ukraine-is-an-environmental-catastrophe#:~:text=In%20conclusion%2C%20the%20environmental%20devastation,ability%20to%20anticipate%20or%20prevent.
Rannard, Georgina. “COP27: War Causing Huge Release of Climate Warming Gas, Claims Ukraine.” BBC News, BBC, 14 Nov. 2022, https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63625693.
Roscini, Flavia. “The Environmental Cost of the War in Ukraine.” International Relations Review, International Relations Review, 14 Apr. 2022, https://www.irreview.org/articles/the-environmental-cost-of-the-war-in-ukraine.