International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
A UN day reminding the world that the environment is often the silent victim of war, calling for its protection from destruction and exploitation during armed conflict.
Date6 November
TopicEnvironment & Sustainability
Established2001
Ways to observe this day
- Read a report on the environmental damage of a recent conflict
- Share content explaining the link between natural resources and conflict
- Support organizations restoring conflict-affected environments
- Discuss why environmental protection belongs in peace agreements
The UN General Assembly established this day through resolution 56/4 in November 2001, to be observed annually on November 6. Its designation affirmed that environmental destruction during war — from burned forests to poisoned water supplies and ravaged farmland — leaves consequences that outlast the fighting itself.
The day highlights the link between natural resource exploitation and the financing of armed conflict, and the protection of the environment as a foundation for lasting peace. Natural resources such as minerals, forests, and water are frequently targeted for military control or used to fund warring parties.
UN bodies and environmental organizations mark the day with reports and studies on the environmental toll of contemporary conflicts, and calls to integrate environmental considerations into peace agreements and post-war reconstruction.
