A Reflection On International Day For Preventing The Exploitation Of The Environment In War and Armed Conflict

Yesterday’s commemoration of the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict calls us to pause and reflect deeply on the sacred relationship between humanity, creation, and peace—particularly in the context of the Gbeniyiri conflict and its aftermath in the Savannah Region. 

The environmental cost of conflict is often silent but devastating. Forests are burned, rivers polluted, farmlands abandoned, and ecosystems destroyed—all of which strip communities not only of their livelihoods but also of their dignity and hope. In conflict-affected areas, families returning to their ancestral lands face barren soils, lost livestock, and water sources contaminated by violence and neglect. The wounds of war are written not only on human hearts but also upon the face of the earth.  

Caritas Ghana’s Strategic Framework 2025–2030 calls for a just, peaceful, and sustainable society, guided by the principles of integral human development, ecological stewardship, and peacebuilding. This day reminds us that true recovery from conflict must heal both people and planet. Addressing humanitarian needs without restoring harmony with the environment would leave the circle of peace incomplete. 

The Catholic Church teaches that creation itself is a gift entrusted to humanity, and that the destruction of the environment in times of war is a moral failing. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si’, urges us to hear both “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” The exploitation of the environment during conflict amplifies both cries, deepening the suffering of the vulnerable and betraying our responsibility as stewards of God’s creation. 

The Church Fathers also foresaw this sacred connection between peace and creation. St. Basil the Great reminded us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and we who tread upon it are merely strangers and sojourners.” St. John Chrysostom warned that when human greed and conflict destroy nature, we “offend the Creator through the abuse of His creation.” These timeless words echo the urgent need for conflict-sensitive environmental stewardship. 

As Caritas Ghana continues its mission of rebuilding lives and communities torn by conflict, we are called to integrate ecological care into every act of humanitarian response. Restoring livelihoods means replanting, conserving, and nurturing the land. Rebuilding peace means restoring the rivers, the soil, and the trees that sustain life. And reimagining recovery means seeing creation not as a casualty of conflict, but as a partner in healing. 

May our collective efforts in Gbeniyiri and across Ghana embody the Church’s call to be “artisans of peace and protectors of creation.” Let us remember that peace is not merely the absence of war—it is the flourishing of life in harmony with God, humanity, and the environment. 

“Peace with God the Creator, peace with all of creation.” — St. John Paul II, World Day of Peace Message, 1990  

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