The contribution of landmines to land degradation

✍ Scribed by A. A. Berhe

• Book ID: 102452563
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 247 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1085-3278
• DOI: 10.1002/ldr.754

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Landmines are one of the most environmentally destructive aftermaths of war facing the world today. The barely chronicled global landmine problem has transcended both humanitarian and sociological concerns to bring about environmental damage. Disruption of land's stability, pollution and loss of biodiversity constitute major ecological repercussions of landmine crisis. This review qualitatively integrates ecological, social, economic and political variables that play a role in creating and perpetuating a serious land degradation problem in landmine‐affected regions. Through a mail survey and interview with professionals working in areas related to landmines, peace research, environmental management and law and extensive archival research this review tries to unravel the many facets and causal links in the ecological and socio‐politico‐economic problems. This paper highlights the complexity of the landmine problem and interrelationships between the issues surrounding the degradation and management of landmine‐affected environments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.