Huge plumes of smoke are crossing North America from the intense #wildfires in Canada. The region has seen severe air quality degradation, including in the State of New York, hours ahead of the #WorldCup Final. #CopernicusAtmosphere is closely monitoring: atmosphere.copernicus.eu/extreme-wild...

Conflict-linked marine pollution is spiking in the Persian Gulf, new #remotesensing research finds. An increase of 4x more spills from targeted oil facilities and ships, leaks and dumps, all risking protected areas, desal plants and marine life. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Close-up image of one of Russia's shadow fleet tankers that Ukrainian #drones hit early July, still burning a week later on July 14.

"Destruction of infrastructure, and the global economic costs, the war is exacerbating existing climate vulnerabilities and exposing the people of the region to an increasingly dangerous and nearly uninhabitable reality." @time.com on the Iran-war and #climatecrisis time.com/article/2026...

The Gulf of Oman is facing severe pollution from ongoing strikes on civilian vessels, mooring ships dumping contaminated bilge water and substances. The targeting of tankers is already causing massive oil spills, seen below. The recent strike on Mombasa-B on July 14 raises wider concerns.

Another large oil spill detected in the #BlackSea, roughly 125km2 on July 11. Although other causes can't be ruled out, it's likely that this leaking oil tanker was also hit UA #drones targeting Russia's shadowfleet. h/t @elkangoo.bsky.social

Here's our updated analysis of the targeted Russian #shadowfleet in the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov with yesterday and today's 🛰️ from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social and @planet.com. Mostly light oil sheens at the moments, some reaching coastal areas.

Update of our analysis using @planet.com imagery on Ukraine's campaign to target Russia's shadow fleet of tankers and other vessels in the Strait of Kerch with #drone strikes, with now at least 76 ships claimed to be targeted.

The strikes on Russia's oil fleet are resulting in visible spills with recent @planet.com and @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social imagery on the marine and coastal environment at the Kerch Strait

Wildfires are leaving complete forests and protected areas burned. In the face of the #climatecrisis, but also driven by conflict, open-access tools can monitor this destruction. Together with @galen.reich.me.uk we wrote this methodology for @bellingcat.com www.bellingcat.com/resources/ho...

New report by @privacyinternational.org & @paxforpeace.nl out today: 'When algorithms go to war Tech giants, the arms industry and the weaponisation of AI paxforpeace.nl/publications...

Very sad and infuriating news to read that the environmentalist Mona Kahlil died from her wounds after her house was bombed by #Israel. We visited her place a few years ago in Mansouri, and her work was invaluable for region. 💚🖤 www.nytimes.com/2026/06/20/w...

Op weg naar Den Haag voor hoger beroep in zaak slachtoffers van mosterdgas in Irak-Iran oorlog tegen Melchemie. Nederlands chemiebedrijf leverde willens en wetens grondstoffen voor Iraaks gifgas. www.ftm.nl/artikelen/me...

Israel continues its use of #whitephosphoros in #Lebanon, despite the serious risk of civilians exposure and wider concerns over impacts on the environment and livelihoods. We spoke with @sanjanamv.bsky.social of the @nytimes.com , joined by @baydoun.nl and others www.nytimes.com/2026/06/06/w...

Analysis by @sanjanamv.bsky.social on Israel’s use of white phosphorus in Lebanon and the dangers it poses to public health and the land, with a reference to @baydoun.nl's visual database documenting its use and commentary from @wammezz.bsky.social. .

REPORT now available - May 20 event Emerging expert @nyeinnta.bsky.social has authored a post-webinar report based on the discussion w/ Taras Fedirko & @wammezz.bsky.social. Check it out now and share. www.forumarmstrade.org/blog/hybrid-...

New imagery from @planet.com showing two Turkish-origin Bayraktar AKINCI armed drones at the Bahir Dar airbase in central #Ethiopia. Recent footage released by Sudanes Armed Forces of a shot down AKINCI claims that these drones are operating over #Sudan coming from Ethiopia

"Military strikes on civilian-critical infrastructure must be condemned if we are to build a just and sustainable future." A welcome editorial by @nature.com on how wars pose a ongoing threat to the environment and people depending on it. nature.com/articles/s41...

Beyond the use of #depleteduranium in anti-armor piercing munitions that the US and UK shipped to Ukraine, and used in Russian stocks, we now also have #DU drones, adding another toxic and radiological risks to public health. www.kyivpost.com/post/76541

With over 270 Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, the environmental consequences are being felt throughout the country, and undermine citizens' trust in the government response to adequately deal with it as environmental groups are banned. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/w...

Strikes by Israel took out the Khuzestan Steel Factory. Here's a great investigation by @baydoun.nl @chrisosieck.bsky.social and @ntabrizy.bsky.social with 3D and high res imagery showing the location, impact and implications for @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/ho...

Register now to join us Wednesday for "Hybrid Drone Warfare and the Future of Control Regimes" 📅May 20, 2026 ⏳10:00-11:00 AM EDT w/ Taras Fedirko, ​​Wim Zwijnenburg @wammezz.bsky.social and Nyein Nyein Thant Aung www.forumarmstrade.org/events.html#...

Er is een bekend gezegde onder anti-fascisten. "If there’s a Nazi at the table and 10 other people sitting there talking to him, you got a table with 11 Nazis" www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...

A disturbing trend as armed #drones are now the leading cause of deaths in #Sudan with 880 people killed in 2026 already, while the use of these killing machines is growing in the country and region. Timely piece by @markssimon.bsky.social archive.is/hkPW6

Hybrid Drone Warfare and the Future of Control Regimes May 20, 10-11AM EDT * Taras Fedirko, Assistant Professor, Univ. of Glasgow ​​* Wim Zwijnenburg, Project Leader in Humanitarian Disarmament, PAX @wammezz.bsky.social * Nyein Nyein Thant Aung (moderator) www.forumarmstrade.org/events.html#...

The 60km oil slick originating from Kharg island is now moving southwards, seen on both optical and radar imagery. These incidents are more frequently occuring since the start of the conflict and pose additional environmental pressure on marine ecosystems in #Iran www.nytimes.com/2026/05/08/c...

How bomb craters can be helping biodiversity. Very interesting piece showing that despite concerns over war impacts on soil from heavy metals and energetic materials, it can also provide a new source life and recovery, and a glimpse of hope. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The ongoing war in #Sudan is also affecting its natural resources. The country is facing a rapid decline of forests due to firewood needs from affected communities. Here's a gripping story by @unep.org on the Sunut forest in #Khartoum that is decimated www.unep.org/news-and-sto...

The latest World Bank Damage and Need Assessment on #Gaza states that 'environmental collapse is intensifying health and livelihood risks', in particular from untreated waste water, waste burning, pollution from debris and UXOs. Full report can be found here: reliefweb.int/report/occup...

Strikes at fossil fuel infrastructure has resulted in a wave of emergency flaring across oil and gas field in the Gulf. Here's an example from #Saudi-Arabia at Khurais, with incomplete combustion releasing pollutants for over a week now

Weak environmental governance and continuing discharging of untreated wastewater into rivers causes severe pollution incidents in #Iraq. Here's a recent example where heavy rainfall pushed accumulated waste from the Diyala river into the Tigris, affecting fisheries www.facebook.com/reel/1654217...

Another environmental emergency following the airstrike on the Lavan oil refinery in #Iran causing an huge oil spill threatening the Sheedvar Island, a protected Ramsar Convention site, while the fire at the fuel depot is still burning after 2 days, releasing more pollutants.

With widespread internet blackouts in Iran and new restrictions on certain satellite imagery of the region at the request of the US government, Bellingcat is launching a tool to help estimate the damage in Iran and the wider Gulf region. www.bellingcat.com/resources/20...

Nederland kan met hun huidige 8 MQ-9 Reapers #drones, kosten ruim 550 miljoen euro, maar geen oorlog beginnen tegen een enigzins militair technologisch geavanceerd leger. Amerika verloor er 24 (!!!) in 1.5 maand, neergeschoten door #Iran. english.news.cn/20260410/5f1...

This should be a no-brainer but we argue in this @theguardian.com article that shooting at oil and chemical tankers is a terrible idea, while wider strikes on naval vessels already have serious environmental impacts from oil spills in the Strait of Hormuz www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The sad state of environmental affairs due to the war on #Iran and retaliatory strikes captured in one satellite image on April 2, 2026 from @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social Sentinel-2 in the Strait of Hormuz

*more than 84 countries combined* www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Israel deliberately targeting medical facilities in south Lebanon, say health workers Medics and officials say there is systematic use of double-tap strikes in campaign to make the south uninhabitable www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

The US strike on the Iranian drone carrier Shahid Bagheri near Bandar Abbas resulted in a large 25km long oil slick that is posing a threat the coastal and marine environment of the Hara Biosphere and Khuran Strait Wetlands, a Ramsar site, two Protected Areas

The aftermath of the Iranian strike on the oil tankers at the Basra oil terminal shows an oil slick near the burned out tanker, March 14. It's likely fuel oil as the cargo, oil condensates / naphtha, seemed to have burned of in the fire after the explosion

"The conflict will likely cause even greater stress on natural resources, damage marine and terrestrial ecosystems, set back efforts to enhance water and climate resilience, and impact the food chain and food safety. " @unep.org statement on the war in #Iran www.unep.org/news-and-sto...

Some nuance to this, as the ship wasn't fully loaded, was carrying oil derivatives, and the brave Iraqi firefighters put the fire out the same night.

Meanwhile, Iranian drone boats hit two oil tanker laden with 400.00 barrels of fuel at the coast of Iraq, almost twice as much as the Exxon Valdez.

"lost at sea" is an interesting euphemism for describing an large spill of Shell Corena S2 P 100 lubricant oil from a blown-up Iranian naval vessel that affected the shoreline of #Srilanka. Glad to see the rapid response and clean-up that prevent a catastrophe island.lk/drifting-lub...

With an update on the spill caused after the US sunk the Iranian vessel DENA. The spill has hit the shores at #Srilanka, and emergency response crews are now involved in clean-up efforts, in particular around popular beaches and protected areas. Imagery of today does show most of the oil gone

Update on the ongoing environmental consequences of ongoing airstrikes in #Tehran after four fuel depots have been targeted with the latest #remotesensing data and reports from the ground. The northern depots are smoulding, but fires continue at the Shahr-e depot

First satellite imagery, with major thanks to @planet showing ongoing fires at Shahran oil depot in NE of #Tehran, and large smoke plumes from smouldering fires at Shahr-e Fuel depot in the south, next to the Tehran Refinery, amidst concerns over health and environmental risks

A more extended overview here on air pollution born from the bombed oil depots in #Iran by Israel and health and environmental risks from acid rain that followed. theconversation.com/what-is-the-...

The targeting of oil depots in and near #Tehran by Israel is causing a range of acute and long-term health and environmental risks, caused by toxic pollutants affecting air, soil and water. Reports of oil sooth raining down indicate widespread impacts

After reports of a Iranian #droneboat strike on an oil tanker off the coast of #Kuwait, we detected oil slicks near the SONANGOL NAMIBE tanker, thanks to Planet imagery. One of the many environmental impacts of the war on #Iran that we're currently tracking.