By Sarah Njeri, Lecturer in Humanitarian and Development Studies, SOAS, University of London ; and Christina Greene, Research Scientist in the Arizona Institute for Resilience, University of Arizona

There are a record number of conflicts raging around the world – from Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar. Alongside their devastating human toll, these conflicts are all wreaking havoc on the environment.

One of the key ways war leads to environmental harm is by leaving behind unexploded weaponry. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has become the most landmine-contaminated country in the world. By January 2024, roughly 9,650 sq miles of agricultural land there was estimated to have been contaminated with landmines and other so-called explosive remnants of w

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