Significant Statement

Wars, military exercises, arms and ammunition tests, etc., aggravate the anthropogenic pressure mounted on blue planet to much larger extent. Current year long agitation between Russia and Ukrain has resulted in deaths, migration, food and economic crisis, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, etc. It is high time to act in result-oriented strategic way for the existence of life on mother nature.

Average global temperature, intensity and frequency of scorching heat wave have increased considerably [1]. Recent heat waves during June–August, 2022 in Europe and Indian subcontinent reaching the temperature up to 48 °C speaks the naked reality. The sixth assessment report (AR6) of Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) showed a great concern over the global warming, sea level rise and biodiversity loss [2]. According to the IPCC report, the world will face multiple climate hazards over the next two decades with global warming of 1.5 °C. The current rate of global warming, polar ice melting and sea level rise has posed climatic emergency. The report recommends 43% reduction in greenhouse emission by 2030 as compared to 2019 level. The average global temperature is increasing beyond expectations in last few decades. For the survival of life on this planet, there is a dire need to achieve the net neutrality and decabonization by carbon sequestration and sharp reduction in fossil fuel consumption [3]. Like any war, Russia–Ukraine conflict has paramount political, economical, social and environmental impact at local, regional and global level with potential disastrous implications. Environmental health is closely associated with people health. Thus, climate crisis gives rise to health crisis [4]. United Nation’s ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ lays down the blueprint for peace and prosperity of people and the planet through seventeen (SDGs) Sustainable Development Goals [5]. Last one century has witnessed 30 wars and 187 million casualties, proving us war-mongering [6]. We are well aware with the humanitarian catastrophe occurred in recent Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Syria, Libya and ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict. In spite of accepting the unpleasant consequences, we have witnessed the prolonged Russia–Ukraine military conflict and peak level tension between China and Taiwan, Belarus and Poland. Peace is inevitable for existence of life and balanced ecosystem on this planet. Countries and communities must work together on viable strategies to cope up the climate change, environmental degradation and for improving the health of human and ecosystem [7]. India has strongly advocated the international peace in G20 summit held at Bali, Indonesia. COP27 has ended with a positive note to establish loss and damage fund reflecting our commitment toward climate justice. But world needs a giant leap at the earliest to win the battle of climate change.

The conflict between nations may occur due to territorial expansion, competition for resources (like water, food, raw materials, mineral resources, etc.), self-defense, historical rivalries and grievances, etc. Peace is equilibrium among forces of diverse nature. Change in any such force can either spark a war under certain conditions or it may bring peace under different set of conditions [8]. War is associated with high morbidity and mortality [9]. War always has far-reaching consequences for global economy, food security, natural resources, environment and life form including humans. War results in loosing human lives, health and wealth, mobilizing and traumatizing civilians, collapsing infrastructures and depleting resources.

Ukraine is prosperous, highly industrialized and rich in mineral resources. Students from different countries come to Ukraine, especially for studying medical science. Russia and Ukraine were separated in 1991 after the disintegration of Soviet Union. The conflict emerged due to Ukraine’s decision to have close ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU) annoying the Russia in spite of sharing social and cultural roots [10, 11]. The Chinese aggression over Taiwan has attracted the attention of entire world. China’s military drills in water very close to Taiwan just after the Nancy Pelosi visit have escalated the tension disturbing peace and stability in the region. Tension is also growing between Belarus and Poland on the issue of NATO membership. Military engagement is also going on between Armenia and Azerbaijan due to the dispute on Nagorno-Karabakh region. Heavy-to-moderate shelling on India–Pakistan border is very frequent mostly to support terrorist infiltration.

We have made an extraordinary progress in science and technology, but we always failed to conquer the nature as evident by tsunami, COVID-19, major earthquakes, etc., causing major loss of life and wealth. Anthropogenic activities like burgeoning population, rapid urbanization and industrialization, military exercises and war, forest fire, volcanic eruption, dieback of natural ecosystem in last century have triggered the climate change which is further aggravated by test for ultra-modern weapons capable of diminishing life from the globe [4, 12]. Our blue planet has converted into hothouse earth exhibiting highest temperature in last 1.2 million years [13]. This has resulted into irregular and unexpected weather conditions, increased cyclone, global warming and sea level rise, etc., adversely affecting ecosystem, biodiversity and cropping pattern causing natural calamity. The climate changes occurred in recent past are widespread, rapid, intensifying and unprecedented [7]. Agricultural resources and freshwater are becoming scarcer and coastal homes are under threat [14]. Due to anthropogenic and natural activities, bioclimatic envelop is changing, causing shifting of species niche resulting into species migration. A healthy ecosystem with its biodiversity is essential for sustaining life on the earth. The crop productivity of two major breadbasket countries (i.e., Russia and Ukraine) is severely affected by military engagement. The conflict has disturbed the trade significantly affecting the global food security [15]. Climate change can make the situation worse if agricultural production in the other grain producing parts of the world is disrupted this year by extreme weather events, disease outbreak, etc.

There exist multiple environmental threats of war, viz. natural resource depletion, climate crisis, rise in pollution, biodiversity loss, public health etc., which is potentially dangerous and disruptive to human [16, 17]. Military aggression against Ukraine will have pronounced impact on environment. This operation will likely to threaten human lives and health with immediate and long-term environmental consequences. Long-lasting environmental devastation of present conflict by adding variety of hazardous substances in high amount to water, air and soil will definitely generational. Ukraine has 15 nuclear power reactors. There is a danger of nuclear fallout from these reactors even the war restricted into conventional nature. Movement of troops and heavy military vehicles disturbs the topsoil. Nuclear regulatory agency of Ukraine reported increased level of gamma radiation at Chernobyl nuclear reactor after capturing it by Russian army. This rise was attributed as the disturbance of contaminated top soil by military vehicles and troops.

The release of dangerous forces resulting from attacks on dams, chemical factories or nuclear facilities (often referred to as ‘environmental warfare’) can lead to severe environmental disruption of a widespread and long-term nature. Moreover, mobilization of troops, artillery and citizens is also affecting the environment adversely. The conflict in highly industrialized eastern Ukraine having power stations, metallurgical plants, chemical factories, run-down mines, etc., may generate highly toxic pollutants posing potential environmental risk.

Sometimes, physical faceoff is not involved in war. Biological, chemical and environmental warfare are other forms of declared/undeclared war between countries [18]. The advance mechanical, chemical, biological and nuclear weapons have potential for large-scale destruction of ecosystem and environment. Weapons used in war reduce the oxygen concentration (e.g., vacuum bomb, phosphorus bomb), increase the concentration of CO2, NOx, SO2, other toxic gases and particulate matter, etc. There is always a danger for shifting the war toward nuclear in nature having much devastating consequences. We have witnessed the long-lasting devastating effects of Stroncium-90 fall out in Japan used by USA in nuclear bomb during World War II. At present there is manifold increase in the number, intensity and principle diversity of weapons of mass destruction including nuclear bombs and their long-distance delivery system. With the advancement in technology, destruction to life, wealth and environment may reach to catastrophic levels. At present the earth is standing on the heap of such devastating arsenal and a single mishandling may end the life from the earth. The present-day weapons are capable of vanishing the whole civilization.

A number of active and non-active land mines exist at Ukraine. These land mines need to be pumped out regularly to avoid groundwater contamination. Due the present conflict, there are strong chances of skipping the pumping out of these mines resulting into groundwater contamination with mercury, arsenic and lead. In last few months, the carbon foot print and concentration of greenhouse gases have shoot up to alarmingly high levels in most of the Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine encompasses 35% of European biodiversity on only 6% European land mass. More than 70,000 species of rare flora and fauna are found here. Ukraine has 16% forest cover and a mess of rivers like Dniester, Dnipro, Danube and Pivdenny Buh. There is many fold increase in biodiversity loss in last few decades. Military exercises are further intensifying the biodiversity loss.

The use of Agent Orange as a defoliant in the Vietnam war resulted in forest and wildlife depletion, crop damage and health effects on both Vietnamese population and American soldiers who served in the war. During the present industrial era, the nature is severely poisoned by long-term persistent hazardous chemicals, agrochemicals and oil spills, which are manifold intensified during the war posing a long-lasting impact on mother earth. The chemicals used during the wartime pose a threat to flora and fauna through bioconcentration and biomagnifications. There is a possibility of intensified eutrophication due to sludge bed leachate and wartime chemicals moving into riverine ecosystem.

Attack by troops on an oil depot as observed during Iraq war and in Kyiv outskirt during Russia–Ukraine conflict resulted in emission of toxic fumes having deleterious effect on environment and on life forms including humans. The local population, particularly children, elders and person with pre-existing respiratory disease, are at high risk of being affected.

Military engagement is associated with long-term invisible and complex environmental threat e.g., contaminated water, low or no crop production, loosing soil productivity, post-war disease epidemic, deteriorating air, water and soil quality, infrastructure collapse, blind rush for more devastating weapons, polarization at international level, danger of nuclear fallout, etc. The war may expand the territory, satisfies the personal ego, showcases the arms ammunition and army power, but losses the health, wealth, life with deterioration in environmental quality, we wish to gift our future generation.

Global economy has already suffered a lot due to COVID-19. The current Russia–Ukraine war has again scrambled the global economy. Shipping through black sea is halted creating the temporary global food shortage. The Russia–Ukraine war has affected the world trade up to a larger extent resulting into food shortage and inexorable price hike. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the major exporters of cereal and oil seeds (i.e., breadbasket countries), may affect the humanity due to grain shortage [19]. Wheat is the staple food for about 35% of world population [20]. Lack of normal maintenance during wartime further degrades the environment.

The war unfolds the multifaceted catastrophe. In anthropocene era due to human action further intensified by military engagement, the functioning of earth system is at risk. Without urgent action, we cannot face the threats to water, food, biodiversity and other critical resources; intensifying the economical, ecological and social crises, creating the potential for a humanitarian emergency on a global scale. Even after the establishment of 50 years of UNEP, the environmental loss and threats are increasing day by day reflecting our efforts as trivial in coping a mammoth problem of complex and global nature. The present time is very crucial for environmental view point, and therefore, the great responsibility bestowed upon present generation for the survival of nature including human existence. Our future generation will have to pay the price of our action, silence and decisions at this very crucial moment. No matter, who is winning or losing the war, but nature and humanity always remains at the looser end. War always proved to be ecocidal in nature leading high ecological footprint. The world has enough weapons to annihilate the human race. For a healthier climate for future, we must formulate foreign policies keeping climate, environment and energy issues at forefront. Differences among the nations must be settled through diplomatic channels [9]. International peace is the first requirement for life-sustaining climate and human existence on planet earth. Our choice between peace and war will decide whether we become extinct or continue to survive as a species.

Instead of engaging ourselves in military war, we must fight a war against, malnutrition, climate change, rising atmospheric temperature and sea level, environmental pollution, deforestation, desertification, terrorism, depleting human values, so that earth can become an ideal place to live for future generation with high life expectancy.