War at Sea and the Environment
Publisher: PAX
Author(s): Camille Maisonneuve and Wim Zwijnenburg
Date: 2026
Topics: Renewable Resources, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
While attention to the environmental dimensions of armed conflicts has been growing, much of the analysis focuses on land warfare – examining air, soil and freshwater pollution, acute exposure to hazardous substances, biodiversity loss, and conflict related emissions. This focus is understandable, given that most conflicts of the past decades have taken place on land, leaving toxic legacies and visible scars on the affected landscape. In contrast, the environmental consequences of naval warfare have received little attention in research, policy, or public discourse.
This report examines the environmental impacts of war at sea, exploring how naval operations intersect with existing international legal frameworks and where gaps remain in protection, legal compliance, implementation and accountability.