It is no question that the Ukraine-Russia war is having a large impact on the environment, but this blog will break it all down. As I said in my OPEC Pt1. and Pt2. blog, during the war, gas prices have gone up. This is a result of supply and demand and less oil being produced. Due to the low oil production, the Biden administration called for it to be brought back again and the prices and output stabilized.
Direct effects of the war have occurred due to artillery, missiles, and various other weapons of destruction. Throughout the war, many of these weapons have caused oil containers to become incinerating, leading to approximately 1 million gallons of pure petroleum percolating into the ground. This ran the risk of water sources becoming contaminated, and animals drinking from them. This concern often came true and left many animals dead or fatally ill.
The contamination has also posed threats to humans in the form of cancer and other illnesses. One article states that people in Ukraine “ get [oil] into their clothes; the dust soaks them; you can smell the difference in your food. It tastes different.” These are all real risks that are shown as a direct result of the war which is seemingly very difficult to escape as people have lost their means of transportation, and it has simply become too dangerous.
An estimated 51 million dollars in environmental damages have been concluded by the Ukrainian government and the war is still ongoing. With this war prolonging, the impacts will cause different species of animals to go extinct, and parts of Ukraine unable to be stabilized without treatment as the contamination will be far too much. Stay tuned, as I will post an update in the coming weeks.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/13/ukraine-war-environment-impact-disaster/
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2023/05/26/how-war-is-destroying-ukraines-environment
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