Impact Of War And Military Activities On Environment [autosaved].pptx

IMPACT OF WAR and military activities ON ENVIRONMENT

Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Pollution 

Studies have found a strong positive correlation between military spending and increased greenhouse gas emissions

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Additionally, military activities have resulted in the contamination of approximately 39 000 sites .

 Armed forces from around the world are responsible for the emission of two thirds of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) , causing severe damage to the ozone layer .

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In addition, naval accidents during have dropped at minimum 50 nuclear warheads and 11 nuclear reactors into the ocean, they remain on the ocean floor

Land and resource use 

Military activity uses solvents, fuels and other toxic chemicals which can leach toxins into the environment that remain there for decades and even centuries

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Furthermore, heavy military vehicles can cause damage to soil and infrastructure.

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More than fifty percent of the helicopters in the world are for military use .

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Approximately , twenty-five percent of jet fuel consumption is by military vehicles.

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These vehicles are also extremely inefficient, carbon intensive, and discharge emissions , which causes profound air pollution , in the upper layer of the atmosphere .

 Military-caused noise pollution can also diminish the quality of life for Land animals and is even more pronounced for marine ecosystem . Many marine animals like whales , dolphins etc. use sound waves to find their way . The sound waves used by the Navy interfere with their echolocation and death of marine animals can occur due to hemorrhages, changed diving pattern, migration to newer places, and damage to internal organs and an overall panic response to the foreign sounds.

Case Studies

Vietnam War , And The Environment

Environmental Effects Of The War 

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The Vietnam War had significant environmental implications by the use of chemical agents to destroy military significant vegetation.

The US military used “more than 20 million gallons of herbicides, were sprayed by the US to defoliate forests, clear growth along the borders of military sites and eliminate enemy crops

The chemical agents gave the US an advantage in wartime efforts. However, the vegetation was unable to regenerate and left behind bare mudflats even years after spraying.

A mid-1980s study by Vietnamese ecologists documented just 24 species of birds and 5 species of mammals present in sprayed forests and converted areas, compared to 145-170 bird species and 30-55 kinds of mammals in intact forest.“

Many animal species were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The dioxin, TCDD, causes both common and uncommon tumors in animals . It also causes cancer in both animals and humans.

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The waters in Vietnam that were sprayed with Agent Orange were contaminated , this caused a deterioration of the marine life of the affected areas . Of all the dioxins known to man, TCDD is the most toxic one. It effected the entire ecology of Vietnam including the animals, humans, and foliage

World War II

Affect of nuclear bombs…

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On August 6 , 1945, the United States of America dropped an atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima in Japan , and then dropped a second atomic bomb in Nagasaki, Japan on August 9.

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The temperature once the bombs were blasted reached about 7200°F (3980 C) . With temperature that high, all the flora and fauna are destroyed within the impact zone .

Conti…. The radioactive particles released when the atomic bomb was dropped and contaminated the land and water for miles. The initial blast caused winds which crushed trees and buildings in its path .

Aquatic organisms were particularly sensitive to the effects of the blast. The results from the atomic bomb caused a large die-off in the fish population and caused a cascade in the food web system.

Affect Of Chemical Warfare

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Chlorine gas and mustard gas were developed during WW2, and poisoned lands on and near the battlefields

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Later chemists developed chemical bombs, which were packaged in barrels and directly deposited in the oceans

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Through the chemical disposal in the ocean it damages marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Affect Of Oil Spills 

Oil contamination in the Atlantic Ocean due to World War II shipwrecks is estimated at over 15 million tonnes , the enormous amount of oil which Was leaked into the water damaged Marine ecosystems during World War II . To this day, traces of oil can still be found in the Atlantic Ocean from the naval shipwrecks which happened during World War II and continue to damage marine life .

The Gulf War

Impact Of War On Environment 

The application of depleteduranium-tipped projectiles in Kuwait and Iraq polluted the Arabian Desert and its divisions.

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The emission of air pollutants increased by 705 percent in Baghdad, which is 887 percent more than the World Health Organization recommendation.

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The smoke from oil fires rose one to four kilometers high and blocked sun shine in the Kuwait region . Some countries such as Turkey, Syria, and Afghanistan reported black rain due to the smoke caused by oil fire

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On January 21, 1991, Iraqi troops opened valves at the Persian Gulf, releasing between four and eleven million oil barrels into the sea. Kuwaiti experts estimate the oil leaks made about 200 lakes. The oil in these pools evaporated, which is expected to create a thick sediment of oil.

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Additionally, the number of aquatic animals and birds declined dramatically by 100,000230,000, while 100 mammals were killed.

Positive Role Of Military : A Case Study Of Indian Army Ecological Task Force (ETF)

ABOUT ARMY’S ECOLOGICAL TASK FORCE 

The concept of ETF was first initiated by the Indian government in 1980 to undertake ecological restoration work in terrains rendered difficult either due to remote location, severe degradation or risky law-andorder situations.

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Under this scheme, the battallions would be raised by the Ministry of Defense from retired army personels to promote and provide meaningful employment to local exservicemen in the Territorial Army.

THE AFFORESTATION IN THE SHIWALIK

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The first battalion of the ETF was commissioned in 1982 with the aim of saving nearly 2500 hectares deforested mining area in the the Shiwalik hills from turning into a rock-strewn desert.

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For the next few years, the 243-strong 127th Infantry Battalion (Garhwal Rifles) worked and Over 2000 bunds were built to check soil erosion in the hills while the barren land, pockmarked by limestone quarries, was greened through massive afforestation.

The Afforestation And Ecosystem Development In Rajasthan

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In 1983 , 128th Infantry Battalion (Rajputana Rifles) had been deployed in Rajasthan’s Thar desert, 80 km off Bikaner. The aim was the stabilization of sand dunes and the creation of a greenbelt all along the left bank of Indira Gandhi Canal, covering about 35,000 hectares

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in seven years, this project too was completed successfully — the 668-men battalion had carefully nurtured over 63 lakh plants along the 50-km stretch, creating an oasis that would benefit the local community for years to come!

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The team also developed a lake at Amarpura, whose thriving ecosystem soon started attracting migratory birds. It was later declared a bird sanctuary by the Rajasthan Government.

OUR “GREEN HEROES”!! 

In the last three decades, ETF battalions have planted and cared for over 6 crore saplings and covered more than 70000 hectares of land, with a 70-80% survival rate. This is a significant contribution, especially when you consider that this has been achieved in areas with inhospitable terrain, harsh weather and the ever-looming threat of insurgent attacks.

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At a time when military in the developed countries have just started taking an interest in climate change mitigation, the Indian Army has set an outstanding example for others to emulate. It’s time we acknowledged these unsung foot soldiers and their role in ensuring that our country remains clean and green.

THANK YOU