The Vice President emphasized that continued military threats in a region densely packed with oil, gas, petrochemical, and maritime infrastructure constitute a hazardous situation for regional and global peace, security, and the environment.
She noted that, under Principle 21 of the 1972 Stockholm Declaration and Principle 2 of the 1992 Rio Declaration, any military action leading to large-scale marine pollution, destruction of coastal habitats, or damage to biodiversity may be considered a violation of customary international obligations regarding transboundary harm.
The letter also states that Article 55 of the 1977
She further highlighted that past conflicts in the region—particularly attacks on oil and industrial facilities—have shown that environmental impacts are not limited in time or geography, but can affect generations, including oil spills, toxic pollution, destruction of coral ecosystems, and threats to coastal communities’ health.
Finally, she called on the United Nations, invoking Articles 99 and 34 of the UN Charter, to prioritize these environmental threats and urged relevant bodies to assess risks and adopt preventive measures.
