After about 13 years of conflict that left devastation behind in Syria, maybe it is time to reconstruct the infrastructure not only economically but also environmentally. The environment has paid a heavy price along those years, and as everyone aspires to a state of transformation in the political and social scene, we must not forget the Syrian environmental scene.
The environmental reality between the climate crisis and pollution
Between the hammer of the climate crisis and the anvil of pollution resulting from years of conflict, Syria faces an environmental reality that requires a lot of effort, noting that both of the previous factors exacerbate the impact of the other. For example, a quarter of the forest cover (the area of land covered by forests) in Syria has disappeared since 2010, according to a report issued by “Pax Peace” Foundation, a Dutch non-governmental organization, and published by “Time” magazine.
Wildfires are certainly a cause of this massive loss, but the climate crisis is not solely responsible for the increase in fire outbreaks. Rather, the issue is largely linked to years of conflict and bombing campaigns that deliberately targeted forests, and the increase in firewood as people need heating after electricity and basic services were cut off from cities and villages.
Environmental Pollution
The long years of war have caused environmental conditions to deteriorate significantly inside Syria, harmed the quality of life, increased carbon emissions, and high levels of pollution have been reached. Pollution has surrounded the country in the air and on the ground, from air to water to soil, and it has turned into one of the most serious problems in the country.
Air Pollution
Syria suffered from high levels of air. In some areas, it was easy to see suffocating smoke covering the sky as a result of fights, using weapons and chemical pollutants and burning of gas wells.
In 2019, Syria ranked 18th among the most polluted countries in the world, according to the “IQAir” index, which measures air quality, as the annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) reached 32.2, which is equivalent to 3 times the average concentration recommended by the World Health Organization.
The World Health Organization points out the seriousness of air pollution, which poses a threat to humans, as it causes great loss of life and deterioration of public health. Air pollution also represents the main risk factor in one-fifth of deaths resulting from stroke and heart disease, in addition to the destruction of ecosystems
When reviewing the "IQAir" index, it can be noted that the concentration of fine particles (PM2.5) in the air in some Syrian regions decreased during January, as it reached an average of 18.4 in Arwad Island in Tartous Governorate on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. But, despite the decrease, it is still higher than the average concentration recommended by the World Health Organization.
Water pollution and drought crisis
Syria faced a range of environmental challenges even before the conflict, including water scarcity. Water resources were under great pressure for several reasons, including climate change and population growth, which contributed to the pressure on surface water reserves and the depletion of groundwater. The conflict also made it more difficult to access potable water and deprived Syrians of clean and safe water.
According to data from the International Committee of the Red Cross, before 2010, 98% of urban residents and 92% in rural communities had reliable access to safe drinking water, but 10 years later only 50% of water and sanitation systems in the country were functioning properly.
Some wastewater treatment plants were destroyed, and wastewater leaked into the surrounding environment, seriously polluting groundwater sources, and turning villages into breeding grounds for disease and pollution.
With the decline of natural water supplies , Syrians have relied mainly on wells that have been contaminated with sewage, exposing millions to serious health risks including waterborne diseases such as cholera, which Syria suffered in 2022 and caused the death of 100 people, according to the UN Development Program.
Due to the conflict and harsh economic conditions, people have relied on trucking water. Some of which comes from unsafe sources such as river water contaminated by oil spills. Huge amounts of crude oil leak from wells and storage facilities into rivers and groundwater, leading to a significant decline in fish production.
Since 2021, the water shortage crisis has worsened due to climate change and global warming, as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts indicate that Syria is suffering from severe and long-term drought. So, securing water has become one of the most prominent humanitarian challenges in Syria, especially in recent years.
Soil Poisoning
The land was the scene of a 13-year conflict. As a result, it was transformed into a barren and poisonous land, containing soil mixed with heavy metals such as mercury, lead and arsenic, fuels, solvents and active materials released by weapons and explosives.
Agricultural soil was directly damaged as a result of the bombing, the spread of mines, and explosions resulting from missile attacks, in addition to the targeting of oil fields and refineries by the conflicting forces. It has led to oil leaks and large quantities of solid waste and metals, which also encroached on the soil.
With droughts and water shortages, many farmers have had to rely on polluted sewage water to irrigate their crops. Pollution and land degradation have led to increased soil erosion and loss of fertile land, and of course crop losses have worsened. The price of an average Syrian family’s weekly food basket has increased by 230%, according to UN estimates.
The report by the “Pax Peace” Foundation explained how environmental factors, along with the conflict, have exacerbated food insecurity in Syria. After years of drought, heavy rains were expected to bring a bountiful harvest during the summer of 2019.
Conversely, the floods spread oil-polluted water over wheat fields and accelerated the growth of weeds that fueled the fires. The result was catastrophic, with about 20,000 acres of wheat and barley lost due to fires and pollution across Syria, according to government figures at the time.
Sustainable construction
The legacy of years of conflict in Syria, which resulted in huge losses that go beyond the destroyed rubble, requires exploiting the opportunity of reconstruction in order to set sustainability as a compass that charts the path of sustainable development in Syria.
while adopting good planning, environmentally friendly architecture, solid waste management, and searching for safe means to secure clean energy such as renewable and hydroelectric energy, promoting flexible agricultural practices, and exploiting technology to map environmental changes and address rampant pollution, because “green recovery” is part of prosperity and development until the “Land of Jasmine” returns to its former glory.
