Disasters are the inevitable concomitant of our use, or perhaps our abuse, of the earth. Degradation of the environment and increase in population require many to occupy hazardous areas. This contributes to the increased vulnerability of man to nature in its extremes. Natural disasters may be sudden or gradual, butmanmade disasters tend to be sudden. Floods, tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, droughts, famines and industrial and technological disasters all force people from their homes.
War destroys human life and all that supports it.
Whether as the deliberate tactics of attack, i.e. ecological warfare, through mindless destruction of habitats, or through the large scale scattering of mines, war's effects on the environment carry on oblivious to the delicacies of political ceasefires. Around 3.5 million refugees worldwide are at this moment afraid to return. With estimates of between 85-100 million mines remaining in 62 countries worldwide, at an estimated removal cost of 85 billion US dollars, reactive legal regulation here is a prime example of too little too late. Resettlement frequently involves a mere removal and creates floating populations. The authorities often fail in their obligations to resettle the displaced adequately and with full compensation.