WAR and the Environment

Restraints Dissolve in War

• People act as if there is no tomorrow in war.– true of soldiers– true of citizens– true of foreign embassy officials– true of nearly everyone

• There is no protection for plant and animal life since there is no protection for human life.

The only possible good that can comefrom war is that slowinghuman population growthslows the peacetime destruction of the environment.

War destroys the environment in different ways than it is destroyed in times of peace, not less.

War Damage

• War damage to the environment is severe.• But war damage usually is repaired quickly

after the war.• In Vietnam, fish farms now exist where

bombs created craters, and then lakes.

Responsibility

• Sometimes there is talk about holding nations and leaders responsible for environmental damage, sort of like the Geneva convention for prisoners.

• But both sides of every conflict destroy the environment. The “guilty” side would be the loser of the conflict. There is a moral problem here.