Environmental consequences of armed conflicts in the global dimension
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15407/visn2025.02.003Keywords:
armed conflicts, environmental degradation, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, Environmental Degradation Index, Ecological Footprint, Ecosystem Resilience Index.Abstract
Since the beginning of the 21st century, armed conflicts have caused unprecedented environmental degradation, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe (Ukraine). The main consequences include deforestation, biodiversity loss, water pollution, and CO₂ emissions, which push ecosystems toward critical thresholds. The calculated indices presented in the article — Environmental Degradation Index (EDI = 9.48), Ecological Footprint (EF = 8,695,000 ha), and Ecosystem Resilience Index (ERI = 0.09) — highlight the escalating military and environmental crises worldwide, with projections extending to 2050: resource depletion, mass migrations, and ecosystem collapse. These trends align with the conclusions of the "21st Century Conflict" hypothesis formulated in the article, which, unfortunately, is corroborated by real data for 2000—2023 obtained from analytical centers such as the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) and the Conflict Barometer by the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK). Immediate global actions, including international cooperation aimed at conflict prevention and ecosystem restoration, are essential to avert irreversible consequences for humanity.
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