The Earth Has the Right to Heal

Tamara Elzein to the international community:

The Earth has the right to heal... and its people have the right to justice

On the occasion of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, observed on 6 November, Lebanon's Minister of Environment issued an appeal to the international community, the United Nations and its institutions, urging them to support Lebanon.

"Our appeal is clear: we want documentation to lead to accountability and solidarity to translate into concrete support for rehabilitation efforts. We call for an independent and operational mechanism capable of establishing the aggressor’s responsibility, ensuring that it bears the cost of repairing the damage and providing compensation.

We also call for the environmental and climate costs of wars to be recognised and integrated into international priorities and financing mechanisms.

The right of future generations to a healthy environment requires us to act now, before damage becomes irreversible and losses worsen. Justice demands that victims should not be forced to draw on their already limited resources to pay for the consequences of aggression they have suffered.

Do not leave Lebanon to face alone a war whose scars continue to mark its soils, waters and forests long after the guns have fallen silent. Help it restore its land to life. Help it uphold its right to justice."

Link to the press article

Tamara Elzein's appeal extends far beyond Lebanon's borders.

It reminds us that the environmental consequences of conflict do not end when fighting stops. They continue to affect communities, ecosystems and future generations for years to come.

Faced with these challenges, international cooperation cannot be limited to expressions of solidarity. It requires recognising environmental damage, establishing appropriate accountability mechanisms and supporting territories in their ecological recovery.

Preserving peace, protecting natural resources and ensuring environmental justice are now inseparable objectives. Lebanon's situation invites us to collectively reconsider the place of the environment within international law and in policies aimed at preventing and resolving conflicts.