Destroying the Environment during War

• In Event: The Consequences of Contention

Abstract

How do wars shape the natural environment? While scholars of international relations have extensively investigated the natural environment as a possible cause of conflict, they have not delved as much into this question. But understanding how deeply wars can affect the natural environment can uniquely illuminate key debates on war and peace---including questions of peace duration, of the impact of technology innovations on war, the fate of civilians during wars, and so on. This paper offers to lay the conceptual and theoretical grounds for a research agenda on how wars shape the environment in which they are fought. After reviewing existing studies on war and the environment, the paper will offer a conceptualization of the impact of war on the environment. It will then zoom in on one particular aspect of this relationship: the intentional destruction of the environment to deny important advantages to the adversary. It will then conclude with a categorization of possible explanations and next steps.

Author

• Eleonora Mattiacci, Amherst College