There are no signs yet that the Iran-US-Israel conflict that has brought such upheaval to the region is nearing its end.
Aside from the human and economic tolls, the environmental impact of war is considerable and long-lasting, as the 1991 Gulf War shows all too well.
Land, sea and air were tarnished by a conflict that, among much else, left vast numbers of oil wells burning or damaged.
Much of the damage was caused by Iraqi forces that set hundreds of these wells on fire before they left Kuwait in February 1991.
Scores of oil lakes formed in the desert and a reported 11 million barrels of oil ended up in the Arabian Gulf, creating a vast slick that, among other things, caused immense suffering to wildlife.
While the plumes of smoke disappeared after the last of the wells were capped in November 1991, pollution from the war lingers, despite clean-up efforts.
The conflict’s unsightly legacy of “tarcrete” – oil, soot and sand mixed to create a hard surface – blights areas of the Kuwaiti desert.
As this opinion article highlights, the current conflict has not yet had an environmental impact on a scale comparable to that of the Gulf War.
But the UN Environment Programme has said that the environment is being damaged, and some Iranians have experienced black rainfall because of bombing.
The impacts are only going to intensify as the conflict continues.
How the UAE uses science to ensure sustainability in the seas
UAE history is inextricably linked to the sea, with fishing having played a central role in the life of communities from the earliest times.
In the modern era, overfishing has become a major concern, but in this wide-ranging article, Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, the secretary general of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), shows how science has been put to work to ensure that fisheries do not become depleted.
Measures such as minimum catch sizes and bans during breeding seasons have meant that fish are now harvested much more sustainably.
Three years ago, EAD unveiled its research vessel Jaywun, which assists efforts to conserve the marine environment.
Looking ahead, Dr Al Dhaheri highlights the impact AI is having on monitoring and conserving the country’s marine environment.
The deployment of such advanced technology is far removed from the traditional way of life of the UAE’s fishing villages in times past – but shares with it a desire to preserve the riches of the country’s seas.
How DP World shows it is not just governments that take action on climate
When it comes to carbon emissions, changes of government in some nations can lead to dramatic reversals in policy, and in some western countries in particular there have been signs of a backlash against climate action in recent years.
This article about the financial results of the ports operator DP World acts as a reminder, however, that climate action extends beyond the pronouncements of governments: it is also about what companies themselves are doing.
DP World has been increasing the share of its electricity use that comes from renewable sources, and as the piece states, the figure has now reached 67 per cent.
As it looks to reduce its carbon footprint, DP World is electrifying equipment and replacing diesel in trucks with hydrotreated vegetable oil, measures that could help the company achieve its aim of becoming net zero by 2050.
The big fact
800 miles – how far the smoke plume caused by burning Kuwaiti oil wells stretched at its peak in 1991.
Jargon buster
Hydrotreated vegetable oil: This is a diesel-like fuel produced from waste fats, including used cooking oil. It is also called green diesel or renewable diesel. The chemical process used to create HVO is different to that used to generate biodiesel. HVO can be used on its own or blended with diesel.
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