Al-Ibrahim: Enhancing international efforts to protect the environment and natural resources from the damage of armed conflicts

The Public Authority for Environment has emphasized the importance of strengthening international efforts to protect the environment and natural resources from damage caused by armed conflicts, noting that environmental protection is an international and humanitarian responsibility and constitutes a fundamental part of safeguarding human well-being and ensuring the sustainability of life for future generations.

Sheikha Al-Ibrahim, the official spokesperson for the Authority and Director of the Public Relations and Media Department, stated on the occasion of the International Day for Preventing the Use of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, observed annually on Friday, November 6, that Kuwait reaffirms the importance of preserving natural resources from the impacts of wars and military conflicts.

She added that this occasion serves as an opportunity to renew the call for respecting international laws and conventions that ensure environmental protection during conflicts, and to refrain from targeting oil facilities, vital infrastructure, water sources, agricultural lands, and natural resources, given that their destruction entails serious repercussions whose effects may persist for decades, adversely affecting human health and societal stability.

She clarified that on this occasion, Kuwait recalls the severe damage inflicted upon its natural environment by the brutal Iraqi invasion in 1990, and the environmental consequences of the war that extended to soil, air, water, and biodiversity, in addition to oil well fires and oil pollution, which posed a major environmental challenge requiring national and international efforts to mitigate their impacts.

She noted that Kuwait did not merely commemorate this painful experience but transformed it into a humanitarian and civilizational message with an international dimension by proposing a resolution to designate November 6 as the International Day for Preventing the Use of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. This initiative was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001, serving as a testament to Kuwait’s role in enhancing global awareness of the importance of protecting the environment during armed conflicts.

The Authority reaffirmed its continued role in protecting the environment, raising environmental awareness, monitoring pollutants, and reducing pollution sources, while working in coordination with relevant authorities to conserve natural resources and ecosystems, driven by its national responsibility and commitment to achieving environmental sustainability.

Al-Ibrahim stated that Kuwait’s experience has proven that the impacts of environmental warfare know no geographical boundaries and do not end with the conclusion of conflicts, emphasizing that environmental protection is a shared responsibility requiring the convergence of local, regional, and international efforts.

She expressed hope that commemorating this day would help consolidate a culture of respecting and safeguarding the environment from the ravages of war, thereby preserving the right of future generations to a safe, clean, and sustainable environment.