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Armed Conflict and the Environment: Perspectives for Global Sustainability
From prehistory to the present, wars have been important determinants of environmental quality. Landscape-scale manipulations of fire, water, soil, vegetation, and animals were weapons in ancient times. As technological developments expanded, impacts of war increased, and the consequences are long-term and far-reaching. At the same time, military facilities provide tightly controlled access, and many sensitive habitats and species prosper on military lands while declining elsewhere.
Online class taught by Dr. David Ludwig
September 26, 2012 - December 2, 2012
This course provides a comprehensive and innovative analysis of the complex relationships of war and war readiness with the environment. The instructor, Dr. David Ludwig, is a systems ecologist who has worked on military environmental issues across North America and around the world. From Pacific islands to the Middle East and across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, he has documented residual impacts of World War Two and its aftermath, the Cold War, and modern conflicts including the Gulf Crisis of the early 1990s. His consulting portfolio includes advising global commands and regional and local facilities on sustainable design and operations for restoration and enhancement of critical habitats and biodiversity, including endangered and threatened species. His academic background as a broad-based ecosystems expert and his intimate familiarity with the published literature and internet information sources make him an outstanding guide along the difficult and multifaceted path to coherent understanding of the implications of armed conflict and military readiness for the sustainable future of the biosphere.