Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
Q6. Modern warfare leaves invisible yet far-reaching environmental scars. Analyse this statement with reference to ongoing conflicts. Evaluate its impact on global climate goals. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: DTE
Why the question
The environmental impact of wars is emerging as a major unaccounted driver of climate change amidst ongoing conflicts like Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Iran, and Gaza, with new data on military emissions and ecosystem damage.Key Demand of the question
To analyse how modern warfare causes long-term invisible environmental damage and to evaluate its implications for achieving global climate goals and net-zero targets.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Mention how contemporary wars extend their damage beyond human losses to long-lasting environmental impacts.Body
- Environmental scars of warfare: GHG emissions, ozone depletion, radiation risks, marine contamination, land degradation (with reference to recent wars).
- Impact on climate goals: Underreporting in inventories, delays in renewable transition, climate finance diversion, increased vulnerability.
Conclusion
Need for integrating war emissions into global climate governance frameworks.
