Environmental Protection in Peacekeeping Operations

Modern wars have environmental impacts whose scope, complexity, & long-term consequences often go far beyond the immediate & visible damages of military interventions. Moreover, protection or restoration of ecosystems appears as an essential issue of international relations because, as demonstrated by an increasing number of studies, environmental disturbances may significantly contribute to the occurrence of new conflicts. Yet, these environmental aspects are often ignored in international peacekeeping operations, which usually focus above all on short-term humanitarian, economic, & sociopolitical issues. This paper offers a framework to help to take into account environmental aspects upstream & downstream of military interventions, underlying the role of environmental security for the prevention of international conflicts. 3 Figures. Adapted from the source document.