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November 6 marks the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. Curtailing the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) is a humanitarian priority due to increasing civilian deaths and injuries from armed conflict in urban settings and indirect environmental impacts, which are now recognized as an important dimension of their use.

The environment is an inseparable part of the well-being, health and survival of civilians. EWIPA cause harmful pollution and destruction, which constrains access to the environment civilians live in.

“Destruction of environment during conflicts not only affect public health directly in the immediate aftermath – through air and water pollution – but also affects long term recovery due to destruction of livelihood depending on environmental resources,” says Muralee Thummarukudy, Acting Head, Resilience to Disasters and Conflicts Global Support Branch.

In 2019, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, issued a joint appeal on the use of explosive weapons in cities and other areas with population concentrations, calling for an end to the devastation and civilian suffering.

As the world urbanizes, so does armed conflict.  When cities are bombed and shelled — whether by airstrikes, rockets, artillery or improvised explosive devices — civilians overwhelmingly bear the brunt.  In fact, the majority of casualties — over 90 per cent, according to one estimate — are civilians. The harrowing images from population centres in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine — to name but a few — show a pattern of grave civilian harm impossible to ignore, yet too often forgotten. 

In 2020, Action on Armed Violence recorded 18,747 deaths and injuries from the use of explosive weapons around the world. In total, 123 countries and territories saw at least one casualty from explosive violence. In populated areas, 91 per cent of those killed or injured were civilians, compared to 25 per cent in less populated areas.

Impacts of explosive weapons on the environment

Environmental considerations of EWIPA are being examined within the framework of a political declaration, currently under negotiation by governments to address the need for better protection of civilians. A recent report by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research identifies the environment as one of the key indicators in documenting the harm of explosive weapons.

Adverse environmental impacts on human health include the generation of huge volumes of debris and waste, and the release of hazardous materials such as asbestos, industrial chemicals and fuels. Additionally, damage to industrial facilities can result in chemical spills and land and water contamination, while damage to water supply and wastewater sanitation facilities or the collapse of solid waste infrastructure can result in pollution.

Grappling with mountains of debris

Cityscapes reduced to rubble are emblematic of the use of EWIPA, but their cleanup is one of the most overlooked in recovery efforts.

In Syria, one-third of the housing stock has been damaged or destroyed, according to World Bank assessments. An estimated 15 million tons of debris was generated in Aleppo and 5.3 million tons in Homs.

In Iraq, around 63 cities and 1,556 villages were reportedly destroyed during the ISIL conflict between 2014 and 2017. National estimates indicate that over 55 million tons of debris was generated from residential buildings. This figure does not account for debris from destroyed government buildings or public infrastructure.