Current Affairs · · GS3 · Environment

UNEP data show Gaza war's lasting damage to soil, water and farmland

Marking the UN day against exploiting the environment in war, an opinion piece in The Hindu highlights Gaza's ecological damage. UNEP found 97% of tree crops lost, 78% of buildings damaged and 61 million tonnes of debris. It calls for accountability and green reconstruction.

Event date:

REq1
  1. Note1 / 6

    WHY IN NEWS?

    • The UN marks 6 November as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
    • Armed conflicts damage biodiversity and natural resources beyond the immediate human toll, and shift costs to future generations.
    • An opinion piece in The Hindu uses Gaza to illustrate the problem.
    • It draws on the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) assessment of 23 September 2025. Because of security constraints, UNEP could not enter Gaza and relied on satellite data and other UN agencies.
  2. Note2 / 6

    THE ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE

    UNEP's figures cover the period up to mid-2025. The table summarises the main findings.

    AreaFinding
    VegetationBy May 2025, 97% of tree crops, 95% of shrubland and 82% of annual crops were damaged
    Food productionFAO and UNOSAT documented damage to cropland, greenhouses and farm wells
    SoilMilitary operations compacted and contaminated soil, cutting groundwater recharge and farm output
    WetlandsDamage to the Wadi Gaza wetland threatens habitats and natural drainage
    Buildings and debrisAbout 78% of an estimated 250,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, leaving over 61 million tonnes of debris
    Hazardous wasteAbout 15% of debris may carry asbestos, industrial waste or heavy metals
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    WATER, HEALTH AND CLIMATE RISKS

    • Aquifer: Destroyed sewage plants and pipelines threaten Gaza's coastal aquifer, its main water source.
    • Disease: Unsafe water and sewage have fuelled waterborne disease. UNEP reports a 36-fold rise in acute watery diarrhoea.
    • Sea and fisheries: Wastewater and debris threaten Mediterranean marine life and fishing livelihoods.
    • Air: Demolition dust and fires raise particulate pollution and respiratory risk, WHO notes.
    • Energy: Damage to power infrastructure disrupts desalination, water pumping and sewage treatment. UNEP's 2024 assessment noted damage to solar systems.
    • Climate: Vegetation loss weakens carbon sinks, and compacted soil increases flooding.
    • Future generations: Persistent contamination passes clean-up costs to future generations.
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    KEY CONCEPTS

    1. What are the ILC's PERAC principles?

    In 2022, the International Law Commission adopted 27 draft principles on protecting the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC). They cover the periods before, during and after conflict, including occupation. Principle 9 says states must make full reparation for environmental damage from wrongful acts. The principles are not a binding treaty.

    1. What does international humanitarian law say about the environment?

    Articles 35(3) and 55 of Additional Protocol I (1977) to the Geneva Conventions prohibit warfare causing "widespread, long-term and severe" environmental damage. Israel is not a party to Additional Protocol I.

    1. Can environmental damage be a war crime?

    Yes, under Article 8(2)(b)(iv) of the Rome Statute of the ICC. It covers attacks known to cause clearly excessive environmental damage in international armed conflict. Palestine has joined the Rome Statute; Israel has not and rejects ICC jurisdiction.

    1. What did the ICJ say in 2024?

    The ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion recognised Palestinians' permanent sovereignty over their natural resources. It also said Israel must make reparation for internationally wrongful acts. Advisory opinions are not legally binding.

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    CHALLENGES

    • Weak enforcement: PERAC is not a binding treaty, so its principles cannot be enforced directly.
    • Attribution: Identifying who caused contamination requires independent scientific investigation. UNEP recommends systematic soil and water testing.
    • Restricted access: Hostilities have obstructed monitoring and repairs. OCHA documented limits on access to water and sanitation facilities in 2025.
    • Funding: A World Bank-UN-EU assessment estimated $53 billion in recovery and reconstruction needs, crowding out ecological restoration.
    • Unexploded ordnance: Munitions and hazardous debris complicate rehabilitation.

    Israel's government holds Hamas responsible for the war and for placing military infrastructure, including tunnels, in civilian areas. UN agencies and rights groups attribute most of the damage to Israel's military operations.

    This card sets out documented positions. It does not adjudicate between them.

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    WAY FORWARD

    These are the article's suggestions, not adopted policy.

    • Set up independent investigations and pursue reparation under international law, in line with PERAC Principle 9.
    • Restore farmland, native vegetation and wetlands, following UNEP's 30 recommendations.
    • Rebuild sewage plants, desalination units and pipelines as a priority.
    • Recycle construction waste and safely remove unexploded ordnance.
    • Rebuild with renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure.
    • Strengthen satellite-based environmental monitoring of conflicts through UNOSAT and UNEP.

Sources

Syllabus

PaperSubjectSub-topic
GS3EnvironmentEnvironment, pollution and environmental impact assessment
GS2International RelationsInternational institutions and international law
PrelimsEnvironmentEnvironment and current events: UNEP, international environmental and humanitarian law

Topics

Environmental Laws, Conventions and PoliciesPollutionInternational Relations and Current Affairs

Practice questions

  1. With reference to the protection of the environment in armed conflict, consider the following statements: 1. The UN observes 6 November as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict; 2. The ILC's 2022 PERAC principles form a binding treaty; 3. Additional Protocol I prohibits methods of warfare causing widespread, long-term and severe environmental damage. Which of the statements given above are correct?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 1 and 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The PERAC principles are draft principles adopted by the International Law Commission, not a binding treaty.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. Under which provision of the Rome Statute can intentionally launching an attack that causes clearly excessive environmental damage be prosecuted as a war crime?

    1. Article 5
    2. Article 7(1)(k)
    3. Article 8(2)(b)(iv)
    4. Article 25
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Article 8(2)(b)(iv) covers attacks causing widespread, long-term and severe environmental damage in international armed conflict.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  3. The ENMOD Convention (1976) prohibits:

    1. the use of chemical weapons
    2. the military or hostile use of environmental modification techniques
    3. nuclear tests in the atmosphere
    4. the export of hazardous waste
    Show answer

    Answer: B. ENMOD bans hostile use of techniques that deliberately alter natural processes, such as weather.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Mains practice

Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.

  1. GS3 · 250 words

    "The environment is a silent casualty of war." Examine with reference to Gaza, and discuss the gaps in international law on environmental protection during armed conflict.

    Show hints
    1. Use UNEP data on vegetation, water, debris and health
    2. explain Additional Protocol I, the Rome Statute, PERAC and the ICJ opinion
    3. note non-ratification and the non-binding nature of PERAC
    4. cover the challenges of access, attribution and funding
    5. suggest monitoring, accountability and green reconstruction