“Research on past conflicts suggests that the war in Ukraine could have a profound environmental impact”

• The Black Sea Biosphere Reserve is located on the southern coast of Ukraine and is home to “more than 120,000 birds” and several endangered species

• Today, the reserve is also occupied by Russian troops

• Military activity sparked huge fires in the area, which have prompted concerns about the possible destruction of essential habitats

Ukraine is home to “vibrant wetlands and forests”

• Russian forces have already entered or conducted military operations in more than one-third of the country’s protected natural areas, making Ukraine’s ecosystems and species extremely vulnerable

• Research from previous armed conflicts suggest that the ecological impact on Ukraine will be huge

• “Wars destroy habitats, kill wildlife, generate pollution and remake ecosystems entirely, with consequences that ripple through the decades”
  

Citations

1. A ‘Silent Victim’: How Nature Becomes a Casualty of War” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/13/science/war-environmental-impact-ukraine.html

2. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing an environmental crisis, and experts say it could take years to fully realize the impact” Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-invasion-ukraine-experts-say-cause-environment-crisis-2022-3

3. “The Environmental and Health Dimensions of the Ukraine War” University of California Press. https://www.ucpress.edu/blog/58701/the-environmental-and-health-dimensions-of-the-ukraine-war/