Russia’s war against Ukraine has destroyed infrastructure and displaced nearly 5 million people since last spring. But this war also has unsightly and sad consequences. The country’s environmentalists say the war has killed endangered Black Sea dolphins and harbor porpoises.
Large numbers of members of both species have washed up on the shores of the Black Sea since February. Increasingly concerned about the environmental impacts of war, animal experts have devoted themselves to gathering evidence that Russia is committing an eco-climate, the New York Times reported. Experts conduct autopsies of dead marine mammals to gather evidence of ecocide and understand how warfare has affected natural ecosystems. Eco-climax is a term used to describe the deliberate destruction of an ecological system.
Pawel Goldin, a zoologist specializing in marine mammals at Ukraine’s Marine Ecology Science Center, told the New York Times that losing these marine creatures would be a tragedy. Marine life depends on the presence of species such as dolphins and porpoises. They keep populations in check by eating a wide variety of fish and other sea creatures. They are also a food source for larger marine animals such as sharks, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
The inevitable consequence of Russia’s use of sonar devices
Marine habitats in and around Ukraine are endangered by conflict. Russian forces use sonar devices on their warships. These devices are disrupting the eco-location that marine mammals such as dolphins and porpoises use to hunt and communicate. When confused, these marine animals can panic and swim towards the cliffs. Some dolphins and porpoises also have the potential to starve, as they cannot hunt properly if they cannot use their eco-locations to navigate the waters.
Experts worry that the number of dead dolphins and porpoises is higher than predicted. Some of the marine animals probably died in the waters and may not have hit the shores of the Black Sea.
Is there any penalty for eco-destruction?
Efforts to internationally recognize and punish eco-crime have gained momentum in recent years. The closing panel of the Human Rights and Climate Crisis Symposium in 2020 discussed how international criminal law can be used to protect the environment. An international group of experts has announced an official definition of eco-destruction in 2021. Experts defined this definition as “unlawful or intentional acts committed knowing that they are likely to cause serious and widespread or long-term damage to the environment”.
In March, the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee voted to recognize eco-climbing as a crime. Four acts are considered international crimes: genocide, war crimes, aggression and crimes against humanity. International activists argue that eco-demolition should be the fifth act on this list.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contains many examples of environmental crimes. The war caused fires and polluted water supplies, endangering both Ukrainians and wildlife. One of the last major events to cause environmental destruction was the collapse of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine. Evidence indicates that Russian forces blew up the dam, the New York Times reported.
The ensuing flood displaced thousands of people in the area and flooded villages. The waters released from the damaged dam also swept away multiple sources of pollution, including agricultural chemicals, into the Black Sea.
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