Conflict and Environment Observatory

A map of countries in the Middle East. There are coloured markers at locations where there have been incidents causing environmental harm between 28 Feb and 10 Mar 2026. The colour of the marker relates to the magnitude of environmental risk. The most high risk incidents are situated along the Gulf coast and near Tehran.

We've just updated our overview of environmentally damaging incidents in the Israeli-US war against #Iran. We've identified more than 300 incidents and remotely assessed 232 for harm.

Read more about these incidents and trends here: ceobs.org/operation-ep... #IranWar #Iran 1/5

Operation Epic Fury: emerging environmental harm and risks in Iran and the region - CEOBS Israeli-US war against Iran continues to cause serious pollution incidents placing people and ecosystems at risk of acute and long-term harm.

You can find our complete overview here, with examples of environmental harm from #Iran and the wider region. ceobs.org/operation-ep...

Two satellite images showing an oil spill off the south western coast of Sri Lanka on 5th March, and very close to beaches and protected areas on 7th March, likely caused by the torpedoing of the Iranian navy vessel called Dena.

The environmental consequences of the war will be felt globally through GHG emissions, and higher oil and commodity prices. They are also being felt in #SriLanka where an oil slick from the sinking of the Dena is coming ashore. 4/5

A map of the Persian Gulf showing the locations and types of the merchant ships attacked, and also the presence of no vessels around the Strait of Hormuz between 1st - 3rd March.

We examine risks to the region's terrestrial and marine environments. Attacks on naval and merchant shipping have the potential to cause serious pollution threats to sensitive habitats in the #PersianGulf. 3/5

Black rain: the health and environmental risks from Tehran’s oil fires - CEOBS Attacks on Tehran's oil facilities have exposed millions to harm, we explore the attacks and unpack their health and environmental risks.

In addition to our ongoing work to create an incident database, we have also done a deep dive into the health and environmental risks from the #Tehran oil fires ceobs.org/black-rain-t...

A map of countries in the Middle East. There are coloured markers at locations where there have been incidents causing environmental harm between 28 Feb and 10 Mar 2026. The colour of the marker relates to the magnitude of environmental risk. The most high risk incidents are situated along the Gulf coast and near Tehran.

We've just updated our overview of environmentally damaging incidents in the Israeli-US war against #Iran. We've identified more than 300 incidents and remotely assessed 232 for harm.

Read more about these incidents and trends here: ceobs.org/operation-ep... #IranWar #Iran 1/5

Black rain: the health and environmental risks from Tehran’s oil fires - CEOBS Attacks on Tehran's oil facilities have exposed millions to harm, we explore the attacks and unpack their health and environmental risks.

Israeli attacks on four oil facilities in #Tehran this weekend have exposed millions of Iranians to harm.

In this post we explore the attacks and unpack their health and environmental consequences: ceobs.org/black-rain-t... 1/3 #IranIsreal #Iran #IntLaw

Figure showing an energetic black smoke plume rising into the free troposphere next to a map showing forecast trajectories of where this smoke is likely to be transported - generally to the north west towards Kazakhstan, Russia and China.

Pollutant fallout from the fires will affect soils in and around #Tehran, pollutants will be remobilised in future and will potentially affect its already scarce water resources. We also modelled the transport of soot, which may increase glacial melting at high altitudes. 3/3

Map showing the location of the oil facilities in Tehran that were struck overnight on 7/8th March. Insets displaying a panoramic view of darkened skies from smoke pollution, a flaming storm drain and a satellite image of the smoke plume from MODIS on the morning of 9th March.

Attacks on oil facilities are all too common in conflicts but targeting four in a city of 9 million that is geographically predisposed to poor air quality made civilian exposure and harm all but inevitable. 2/3

Black rain: the health and environmental risks from Tehran’s oil fires - CEOBS Attacks on Tehran's oil facilities have exposed millions to harm, we explore the attacks and unpack their health and environmental risks.

Israeli attacks on four oil facilities in #Tehran this weekend have exposed millions of Iranians to harm.

In this post we explore the attacks and unpack their health and environmental consequences: ceobs.org/black-rain-t... 1/3 #IranIsreal #Iran #IntLaw

A black and white cartoon with 5 panels around a central hub whose text reads ECSA working group on armed conflicts. The panels denote the group activities: research, funding, technical assistance, convening and developing principles and methods.

A classroom with around 30 people sitting at white desks, at the front a woman is peaking and two other women are sitting on chairs.

The first in person event for the @ecsa.ngo Working Group on #CitSci in areas affected by conflicts was great. Huge thanks to the speakers with perspectives from #Ukraine, #Sudan, #Iraq, #DRC and #Gaza. Fantastic questions in the room to set us up for our WG meeting later. #ECSA26

We spoke to @dialogueearth.bsky.social about the environmental harm being caused by the war against #Iran for this great piece that also touches on the wider historical context of conflict damage in the region dialogue.earth/en/nature/as...

Three days of Operation Epic Fury: rapid overview of environmental harm in Iran and the region - CEOBS Rapid overview of emerging environmental issues and risks in Iran and the wider region from Operation Epic Fury.

Overview of emerging environmental issues and risks in #Iran and the wider region from Operation #EpicFury. We're already seeing pollution incidents that are placing people and ecosystems at risk of acute and chronic harm: ceobs.org/three-days-o... #IsraelIranWar 1/5

Three days of Operation Epic Fury: rapid overview of environmental harm in Iran and the region - CEOBS Rapid overview of emerging environmental issues and risks in Iran and the wider region from Operation Epic Fury.

Ongoing monitoring is vital to ensure environmental harm is mapped and communicated. Doing so allows us to identify health risks, helps inform clean-up and recovery, and can be used to pursue accountability. We'll continue to map incidents and trends: ceobs.org/three-days-o... 5/5

Satellite imagery showing damage to technical equipment at the Ras Tanura oil refinery, and two smouldering smoke plumes.

Damage and disruption to fossil fuel facilities and transit infrastructure is of huge environmental concern through spills, fires and disrupted operations. Plumes can contain particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and toxic organic compounds. 4/5

Three images of explosions occurring at military sites in different locations across Iran.

Damage to military sites presents a range of pollution risks, secondary explosions and fires rarely destroy all hazardous materials and may generate additional pollution. US attacks on Iranian naval vessels and ports mean that this is not restricted to land pollution alone. 3/5

A map of countries in the Middle East. There are coloured markers at locations where there have been incidents causing environmental harm between 28 Feb and 2 Mar 2026. The colour of the marker relates to the magnitude of environmental risk. The most high risk incidents are situated along the Gulf coast and near Tehran.

We're monitoring the war and so far have identified 120 environmentally relevant incidents, 92 of which have been assessed for their environmental risk. These are mainly but not exclusively military sites. 2/5

Three days of Operation Epic Fury: rapid overview of environmental harm in Iran and the region - CEOBS Rapid overview of emerging environmental issues and risks in Iran and the wider region from Operation Epic Fury.

Overview of emerging environmental issues and risks in #Iran and the wider region from Operation #EpicFury. We're already seeing pollution incidents that are placing people and ecosystems at risk of acute and chronic harm: ceobs.org/three-days-o... #IsraelIranWar 1/5

All countries should interrogate the impact of #biodiversity loss on their own national security.

And all stakeholders should examine and address the impact of national security choices on nature.

BUT don't leave it just to governments to frame these relationships. 2/2

Nature, peace and security: too important to leave to governments - CEOBS As governments focus on nature, peace and security, we need to speak up if we’re to avoid the dead-end securitisation of the climate crisis.

Unless we're better able to articulate the relationships between nature, peace and security we leave the door open to securitised responses that do nothing to address global #biodiversity loss. ceobs.org/nature-peace... #PERAC

This morning we have added 34 environmentally relevant incidents to our Wartime IncidentS to ENvironment Database (WISEN) for #Iran. The team will continue to add and verify incidents as the conflict proceeds, developing environmental harm and risk scores. #OSINT #RemoteSensing

Trump's claims that #Iran's navy will be 'annihilated' presents the possibility of substantial marine pollution risks, naval facilities were not targeted last time. Missile production and storage sites were, attacks that also present pollution risks.

The emerging environmental consequences of the Israel-Iran war - CEOBS A week into the Israel-Iran War we review some of the key environmental issues and trends that are emerging,

As the US and #Israel once again launch strikes against #Iran, our rapid assessment of last year's 12 day war can provide some insights into the types of environmental damage that can be anticipated ceobs.org/the-emerging...

Syria’s Environmental Woes Fueled Its Long Conflict. Left Unaddressed, They Will Do So Again. I recently returned to Syria for my first peacetime visit. Unsurprisingly, the country is an awful mess. The destruction is somehow slightly more conspicuous than it seemed through a number of [...]

#Syria needs international support for its environmental recovery. This should include comprehensive national assessment, funds for urgent remediation needs, support to Syrian civil society and long term capacity building for environmental governance. www.newsecuritybeat.org/2026/02/syri...

Today marks 4 years since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. The latest report from the Initative on GHG Accounting of War finds that the invasion has resulted in emissions comparable to the annual emissions of France and could cause over $57 billion of climate damages. report6en.warbon.org

It's vital that conversations on nature, peace and security avoid the tendency to speculation and hard securitisation that have so damaged international acceptance of climate security discourse.

Sadly, co-opting this nature assessment to talk trad climate security feels very on trend.

With foreign backing, Israel’s solar energy boom is powering apartheid Israel’s self-branding as a pioneer in sustainability obscures how its ‘green development’ is fueling the takeover of Palestinian land and resources — and international corporations are helping to ban...

Like water access before it, #Israel is weaponising #solar energy in the #WestBank. While settlers destroy Palestinian panels, the state promotes its green credentials while using access and land to power the movement of settlers into occupied areas. www.972mag.com/israel-solar...

Forests across #Sudan have been devastated by cutting as a coping strategy by people during the war. Sometimes it takes just one - the Al Sunut reserve in #Khartoum - to catch the media's eye www.france24.com/en/live-news...

A map of Ukraine showing the location of its terrestrial and marine Emerald Network sites and the distribution and intensity of conflict incidents, landscape fires and forest disturbance. Many are concentrated in front line areas in the east of the country.

The project was backed by the World Bank and EU4Environment and focused on Bern Convention Emerald Network sites. #Ukraine has 537 proposed and adopted sites and many of them have been impacted by the war. 2/4