Syria has been suffering from a senseless, devastating war for more than 14 years, in which the combatants did not respect any sanctity of humans, trees, animals, cities, archaeological, historical, and even religious sites. The impact on the environment was very violent, through the use of heavy weapons and explosives of all kinds, the destruction of agricultural lands and forests by uprooting and felling trees, the loss of biodiversity, water and sanitation systems, and the pollution of the air and soil with heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead, which are produced by weapons and their remnants. Of solid waste and mines, effects that may last for decades, causing permanent damage to the ecosystem, in addition to the presence of a huge number of unexploded explosives that explode and cause the death of dozens of civilians daily, in addition to the Corona pandemic in 2021 and 2022, and the devastating earthquake that struck Syria on 6 February 2023. It greatly destroyed cities and towns, in addition to the destruction of infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, companies, and factories, which contributed to a severe deterioration in the level of humanitarian conditions, especially food security. All of the above doubled the pressure on the environment through unjust cutting. For forests to use their wood, and illegal hunting of animals, and increased the government’s inability to meet the requirements of economic and social growth and development, and take into account environmental requirements. In this paper, we address the current state of the Syrian economy, the damage caused by military and security operations, the decline in agricultural production, air, soil and water pollution, the spread of oil pollution, and illegal fishing. We reached a basic conclusion, which is that the senseless and destructive Syrian war has affected the environment in a devastating and catastrophic manner, and that its negative environmental, economic, social, and even political effects will continue for a long period of time. Among the most important recommendations is to achieve real concerted regional and international efforts to stop the devastating and ongoing war, and to work to mobilize international support (technical and financial) to overcome the devastating effects of the environment and climate left by this war, because these catastrophic environmental effects will not be limited to Syria, but rather their repercussions will be on the region and the world.
Keywords: war, environment, air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, forests, biodiversity, economic impacts, social impacts.
In Syria around 90 per cent of families in the country already live in poverty on top of that military activity has significant impacts on the environment. Not only can war be destructive to the socio-environment, but military activities produce extensive amounts of greenhouse gases (that contribute to anthropogenic climate change), pollution, and cause resource depletion, among other environmental impacts. northern Aleppo, armed groups have been a main driver in heavy logging of natural forests, with nearly 60% of trees cut down. The war also directly caused destruction of large-scale commercial orchards, impacting livelihoods. The combined effects of rising temperatures, decreased rainfall and water scarcity are among the reasons for reduced water levels in the Euphrates River. This makes it difficult for people to earn a living, forcing many farmers in once-rich agricultural communities, such as Deir-ez-Zor, to abandon their land. Due to the collapse of Syria's water infrastructure, more than half of Syrians now get water from such unsafe sources. There are multiple causes of this crisis: drought and climate change, wartime destruction, energy shortages, and the weaponization of water access by Turkey and other actors. Along with the degradation of the natural resources in these countries and a radical destruction of forest cover, the animal and bird populations have also been adversely affected. The ongoing economic crisis is worsening negative coping mechanisms and particularly affecting female-headed households while contributing to the normalization of gender-based violence and child exploitation. Water insecurity. High temperatures and low rainfall are not the only drivers of water insecurity in Syria.
The environmental impacts of the Syrian war are extensive and multifaceted, requiring coordinated international efforts for mitigation and restoration. Sustainable development practices, rebuilding infrastructure, demining, reforestation, and water purification are crucial for Syria's ecological recovery. For example :
1-Air Pollution
The conflict has significantly increased air pollution through the use of explosives, burning of oil facilities, and the resultant fires. This has released toxic gases and particulate matter, severely degrading air quality.
2- Biodiversity Loss
The war has led to the destruction of wildlife habitats and increased human encroachment into protected areas. The collapse of law and order has facilitated poaching and illegal trade, threatening various species and disrupting ecosystems.
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