Pollution can inflict physical, psychological, socioeconomic, and cultural harm on individuals and communities, and an inadequacy of data is one of the barriers to assisting victims either in Ukraine or elsewhere.
The use of explosive weapons can cause massive damage to civilian and industrial infrastructure, resulting in the contamination of air, soil, and water resources. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the heavy toll on the environment, and the risk of significant environmental harm.
Ukraine has an extensive and diverse industrialized economy, including heavy manufacturing and nuclear facilities. As well as the environmental risks from existing contamination linked to its industrial heritage, the targeting and damage to commercial, industrial, and energy infrastructure has exacerbated these risks for civilians and the wider environment. This means an increased risk of exposure for people living within or near impacted areas, as well as for humanitarian and mine action workers delivering support to these communities.
This paper explores how remote data collection and data from mine action operations can be used to better address the environmental consequences of the use of explosive weapons.
