Global environmental challenges Study set - War Flashcards
(15 cards)
Give information about the Plain of Jars in Northern Laos
the Plain of Jars is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos (1350-350 BC)
Huge stone urns, or jars. Est around 2,500 years old.
Describe the war and bombing history of the plain of jars
1964 -1973
almost 270 million bombs on this part of Laos
(attempt to interrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail)
Mines Advisory Group, (MAG), working to remove UXO’s.
UXO - Unexploded ordinance
Between 1965-1975 Laos became the most bombedcountry in history. Two million tons of bombs*
*the Plain of jars alone was
subjected to between 74,000-
150,000 tonnes of bombs.
How do these UXO’s and unexploded mine fields affect the environment
Landmines and other Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) make land and other natural resources inaccessible and cause overexploitation of those available, which leads also to soil degradation.
Overgrazing –> can lead to desertification.
Describe nazi weapon dumping in the baltic sea
est 65,000 tonnes of Nazi chemical weapons dumped in crates in Baltic Sea throughout 1940s&50s.
serious injuries reported in Sweden, Germany, Poland & Denmark - 100s of children experienced skin burns.
There are numerous deliberately sunk (scuttled) ships loaded with chemical weapons at the bottom of the Baltic sea.
Potsdam agreement - 65,000 tonnes of Germany’s chemical weapons dumped in Baltic sea.
Describe aftermath of WW2 in terms of UXO’s and weapons
Following WWII the Allied powers dumped a
huge amount of stock piled weapons
throughout the worlds oceans and coastal
waters
▪ These included mustard gas, phosgene and
assorted nerve agents.
Give information on the WLA 206 Poland sulfur mustard incident
Various activities could cause environmental impact
-Bombs rusting
-Trawling along seafloor
-Seafloor drilling
-Wind turbine installation
WLA 206 Poland incident
Jan 1997,
95-tonne fishing vessel named WLA 206 was trawling off Polish coast,
Crew found a five- to seven-kilogram chunk of sulfur mustard in nets.
Four men hospitalized
Experiencing agonizing symptoms. All sustained serious burns.
it’s lipophilic, or easily absorbed by the body’s fats.
What kind of impact would the dumping of these chemical weapons have on the marine environment of the Baltic?
Poses severe threats to trawlers (WLA 206)
Additionally any sealife to come into contact with this will be significantly harmed - damaging marine ecosystems
—> Potentially damaging fishing industry and Baltic biodiversity
Arsenic-containing warfare agents have been shown to contaminate areas of the sea bottom and to spread both within and outside dumpsites.
Describe how nuclear weapon testing and nuclear activity can impact the environment
release of radiation is unique to nuclear explosions
➢ Damages DNA and cellular chemistry
➢ Tissues that are most sensitive are those that undergo rapid cell division (i.e. bone marrow, hair follicles, reproductive systems)
Health consequences from nuclear fallout may last decades
Describe nuclear impacts on the Marshall islands
In the Marshall Islands the US conducted 67 nuclear
tests between 1946 and 1958.
▪ Today, residents suffer some of the highest
radiation sickness in the world, e.g.
-Cancer
-Leukaemia
-Miscarriages
Describe Operation Ranch Hand
The Vietnam War: Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971)
Use of herbicides as a means of destroying enemy
cover (i.e. trees) and food-denial
Chemicals were used not just for defoliation, but also to control insects.
18 million gallons of chemicals were sprayed over 20% of south Vietnam
herbicides used in the war were variations of
existing herbicides. Six mixtures were used and given colour-coded names.
Describe what the different defoliant agents specialised in
Agent Blue was used on rice fields as
it was a contact desiccant. Killed rice and
grasses in hours.
Agent White persisted in soil for 19 months, (five times as long) suppress crop growth for several seasons.
Agent orange has the byproduct TCDD (2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin).
Describe the environmental and human impacts of operation ranch hand and defoliants
these herbicides and contaminates on Vietnam’s soil, water, and sediment resources, dioxin bioaccumulation and magnification within the food chain, and human health consequences.
Destruction of forests could cause devastating impacts on animal, insect and obviously plant life. Huge impact on ecosystems. Could destroy food sources for civilians
Impact water sources further affecting civilians and wildlife.
Do these dioxins affect people today
Local Vietnamese living in nearby cities:
-breathe contaminated dust
-cultivate dioxin contaminated soil (adsorbed by skin)
-eat bottom feeding fish and mollusk harvested from lakes adjacent to the hotspots.
Describe the impacts of landmines
Every year, between 15,000 & 20,000 people
are victims of landmines
Landmines have avg lifetime of 50-100 years
Since WWII half a billion landmines have been
laid.
Restrict access to arable & pastoral lands,
forcing people onto marginal lands - causing soil degradation
Unexploded landmines can lead to
bioaccumulation of toxic substance. (vegetative degradation)
Large mammals easily set off AVMs. + evidence that poachers may be using landmines (villagers placing anti tank mines on elephant migration path)
▪ Despite abundant fertile lands famine killed
thousands after the Angolan civil war
Is there any hope/positive events of minefields
Minefields give endangered animals places to hide.
Angola women working to rid of landmines left in 27 year civil war
Landmark Mine Ban Treaty 1997
- Treaty has 164 States Parties,
representing over 80% of the world’s governments
