Weather Modification as a Weapon!
Using weather as a weapon and manipulating the environment for military purpose is common and has come to focus in the Gulf War.
The United States was the first to use weather modification as a weapon in Indo-China region from 1967-72.
The intention was to increase normal monsoon rainfall and disrupt Vietnamese logistics marking the emergence of the use of environment as a weapon in warfare. Artificial triggering of earthquakes and tidal waves, modifying hurricanes or hailstorms to change their course, creating artificial fog to impede enemy traffic, etc.
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The use of chemical weapons is not only harmful to people and other organisms but to ecosystem also. The emergence of cruise and ballistic missiles and other types of bombs are responsible for a lot of pollution in atmosphere. The Gulf crisis (1990) has brought it back to the forefront.
Dumping millions of barrels of crude oil in the sea to hamper naval operations and foul up desalination plants supplying drinking water, marked the beginning of environmental warfare. Military experts are of the opinion that every state has its environmental or geophysical vulnerabilities that can be exploited by an enemy in the event of war. All this can be checked through awareness and collaboration at international level.
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That now it is high time to protect the biosphere from environmental catastrophes. These environmental issues have become a part of discussion not only at environmental conferences but also in every international political meet.
Several documents and agreements have been signed between nations. It will not be enough to have the agreement, but their implementation is also necessary at all levels. The growing globalisation might make the task even more difficult. With this, the rich have greater freedom to exploit the poor.
With its attendant economic asymmetry, the globalisation of the economy has clear consequences for environmental health and sustainable development. There is thus need to evolve a global strategy, which should be supported by action at all levels, especially at the community level.