Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword by Klaus Toepfer
- Introduction
- Part I General principles
- Part II The legal framework
- Part III Assessing the impacts – scientific methods and issues
- Introduction
- 11 Scientific assessment of the long-term environmental consequences of war
- 12 The Gulf War impact on the terrestrial environment of Kuwait: an overview
- 13 War-related damage to the marine environment in the ROPME Sea Area
- 14 War and biodiversity: an assessment of impacts
- Introduction
- 15 Tracking the four horsemen: the public health approach to the impact of war and war-induced environmental destruction in the twentieth century
- 16 Defoliants: the long-term health implications
- 17 The impact of military preparedness and militarism on health and the environment
- 18 War and infectious diseases: international law and the public health consequences of armed conflict
- Part IV Valuing the impacts – economic methods and issues
- Part V Prospects for the future
- Index
14 - War and biodiversity: an assessment of impacts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword by Klaus Toepfer
- Introduction
- Part I General principles
- Part II The legal framework
- Part III Assessing the impacts – scientific methods and issues
- Introduction
- 11 Scientific assessment of the long-term environmental consequences of war
- 12 The Gulf War impact on the terrestrial environment of Kuwait: an overview
- 13 War-related damage to the marine environment in the ROPME Sea Area
- 14 War and biodiversity: an assessment of impacts
- Introduction
- 15 Tracking the four horsemen: the public health approach to the impact of war and war-induced environmental destruction in the twentieth century
- 16 Defoliants: the long-term health implications
- 17 The impact of military preparedness and militarism on health and the environment
- 18 War and infectious diseases: international law and the public health consequences of armed conflict
- Part IV Valuing the impacts – economic methods and issues
- Part V Prospects for the future
- Index
Summary
Introduction
The “peace dividend” expected by many to result from the end of the Cold War has not paid off in terms of reduced violent conflict. Indeed, the recent nuclear weapons tests by India and Pakistan demonstrate the continuing potential for highly destructive war. Some countries are facing generalized lawlessness and banditry, by marauding ex-soldiers in several African nations, drug cartels in some parts of Latin America, and organized crime in various parts of the former Soviet Union. Tensions in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Central America, Ireland, Southeastern Europe, and Indonesia are further indications that war is a continuing fact of modern life.
Despite these widespread threats to national sovereignty, governments are obliged under Article 1 of the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity to conserve their own biodiversity, and under Article 3 to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the biodiversity of other states. Any negative impacts of war on biodiversity are clearly contrary to this international agreement, though this constraint cannot be expected to carry much weight with belligerent powers; NATO apparently did not consider biodiversity in their bombing plans over Kosovo, judging from the results. But what, specifically, are the impacts of war on biodiversity? This chapter attempts to identify some of the key issues in preparing a balanced assessment of this question.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Environmental Consequences of WarLegal, Economic, and Scientific Perspectives, pp. 353 - 378Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2000
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