Climate Crisis Exacerbates Military Legacy Contamination

Sep 21, 2021 | Wim Zwijnenburg
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The hazardous remnants of war are re-emerging. They include unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other vestiges of war. These military hazards that climate change can “wake up” or expose include landmines, ammunition, toxic waste, chemical weapons, and nuclear materials. Degrading munitions left in the soil or water can become unstable over time as the chemicals change, influenced by environmental conditions. Millions of unexploded munitions and mines in the soil degrade more rapidly in the heat, which can result in uncontrolled explosions.

With the UN Decade on Eco-system Restoration starting this year, it is crucial to include military legacy pollution in remediation work to address these specific environmental security concerns. Dedicated funding and expertise as well as collaboration with local environmental actors and experts are needed to mitigate these compounding climate-security risks. 

Militaries should step-up their efforts to contribute their knowledge and expertise on the environmental impact of their own bases as they relate to past pollution data and clearance of toxic and explosive remnants of war.