Impact of War and Armed Conflicts on Environment — MCQs

All questions with answers and explanations

Read the full set here, or use the practice card above to test yourself one question at a time.

1. The ENMOD Convention, 1976 prohibits:

   • Trade in endangered species
   • Military or hostile use of environmental modification techniques with widespread, long-lasting or severe effects (correct answer)
   • Whaling
   • Ocean dumping of waste

   Explanation. ENMOD bans hostile use of environmental modification techniques with widespread, long-lasting or severe effects.

2. Which provisions of Additional Protocol I, 1977 protect the natural environment in armed conflict?

   • Articles 35(3) and 55 (correct answer)
   • Articles 14 and 21
   • Articles 1 and 2
   • Articles 100 and 101

   Explanation. Articles 35(3) and 55 prohibit warfare causing widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment.

3. The protective threshold in Additional Protocol I is damage that is:

   • Widespread, long-term and severe (cumulative) (correct answer)
   • Any damage at all
   • Only temporary damage
   • Only damage to forests

   Explanation. The three conditions are cumulative, which makes the threshold very high.

4. Under which provision of the Rome Statute is excessive incidental environmental damage a war crime?

   • Article 8(2)(b)(iv) (correct answer)
   • Article 1
   • Article 5(1)(d)
   • Article 21

   Explanation. Article 8(2)(b)(iv) covers attacks causing widespread, long-term and severe environmental damage clearly excessive to the anticipated military advantage.

5. Which event is a well-known example of wartime environmental pollution?

   • The 1991 Kuwait oil-well fires in the Gulf War (correct answer)
   • The Bhopal gas leak
   • The Chipko movement
   • The Silent Valley agitation

   Explanation. Burning oil wells in Kuwait caused severe air and sea pollution during the Gulf War.

6. Which Rio Declaration principle states that warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development?

   • Principle 24 (correct answer)
   • Principle 1
   • Principle 15
   • Principle 16

   Explanation. Rio Principle 24 recognises that warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development.

7. Rio Declaration Principle 25 says that:

   • Warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development
   • Peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible (correct answer)
   • All States must ban nuclear weapons
   • Trade in endangered species is prohibited

   Explanation. Principle 24 says that warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development. Principle 25 says that peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and indivisible.

8. The 2022 International Law Commission work on this subject is titled:

   • Draft Principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts (correct answer)
   • Draft Code of Crimes against Peace
   • Articles on State Responsibility
   • Draft Articles on Prevention of Transboundary Harm

   Explanation. The ILC adopted Draft Principles on Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts in 2022.