Scorched Earth: The Catastrophic Environmental Costs Of Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine

[Rhiannon12866]

In addition to thousands of deaths and the destruction of crucial infrastructure, another, more invisible, crisis tied to Russia’s invasion could haunt Ukraine for years: environmental damage. From shelled chemical plants to forests scorched by missiles, the consequences will be felt not only by Ukraine’s ecosystems but also by its people.

The list of damage caused by armed conflict in Ukraine since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 is long and, if not given proper attention, could last for years.

The Conflict and Environment Observatory has reported that the environmental impact of war began even before the conflict began. Building up military forces and maintaining their readiness can consume a lot of resources. Military gear and vehicles require energy that usually comes from oil, and large militaries' CO2 emissions are greater than many countries in the world combined.

A study by Brown University showed that the U.S. military’s greenhouse-gas emissions are greater than those of countries like Portugal, Denmark, and Sweden.

After a conflict starts, hazards ramp up and the damage becomes a lot more apparent.

[snip]

Ukraine's Environmental Background

Ukraine’s ecosystems are of considerable importance to Europe:

Encompass 35 percent of Europe’s biodiversity.

Are home to over 70,000 species.

29 percent of Ukraine's territory is composed of natural vegetation as well as seminatural vegetation (such as managed grasslands and hedgerows, etc.).

16 percent of its territory is composed of forests.

Ukraine has about 63,000 rivers.

Ukraine occupies 11 percent of the Carpathian mountain range, which comprises one-third of all plant species in Europe.

The Severskiy Donets River is the longest in eastern Ukraine and an important source of fresh water. The Dnieper is the fourth-longest river in Europe.

On March 14, after the Russian military shelled a sewage-treatment facility, water from several districts of Zaporizhzhya began to enter the Dnieper River without any treatment.


Much more: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-environmental-catastrophe-russia-invasion-ecosystems/31919411.html

[SheltieLover]

1. K&R!

[Rhiannon12866]

2. This is a terrible effect of Putin's unprovoked war which is rarely considered on top of the human toll

[SheltieLover]

3. Horrible!

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Think of all the abandoned equipment and potential UXBs - besides all the damage everywhere!

Cities have been flattened! And Ukraine - especially with its wheat crop - is the "breadbasket" for that part of the world! People are currently starving!

[SheltieLover]

5. I know

When will the world stop alllowing 1 human male to screw everything up?

[Hiawatha Pete]

6. K&R for visibility