In the liturgy for Advent 2, we light the second candle for Peace. The peace that passes all understanding. The Peace that comes from a right relationship with God and our lives with family, friends and the larger community. A peace that comes with justice, healing and reconciliation. This is peace on a personal level. What about Peace on a global level?

How conflict impacts our environment

Today, the world faces record levels of conflict and violence with a significant impact on people. In 2023 alone, over 170 armed conflicts were recorded. By the end of the year, nearly 120 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events seriously disturbing public order.

While the human cost of war is undeniable and profound, the environment also suffers immense and often-overlooked consequences. Beyond the immediate destruction, conflicts disrupt ecosystems, deplete natural resources, pollute the environment, and jeopardize the health of our planet for generations to come. 

To read more: https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/how-conflict-impacts-ourenvironment#:~:text=When%20forests%20are%20cleared%20for,with%20major%20impacts%20on%20nature.

When AI is asked to search the harm caused by war, the list of negative effects on the environment include: 

• Land and vegetation: Military actions can clear vegetation, disrupt ecosystems, and destroy forests. 

• Pollution: War can cause air and soil pollution from explosive weapons, damaged infrastructure, and military emissions. 

• Water: War can damage water supplies, making them toxic. 

• Climate change: Wars consume large amounts of fuel, which leads to high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. 

• Wildlife: War can exterminate wildlife and their ecological niches. 

• Nuclear weapons: The production, testing, transport, and use of nuclear weapons can be devastating. 

• Waste: War can leave behind large amounts of waste, including damaged or abandoned military vehicles, shell fragments, and medical waste. 

• Landmines: Landmines can contaminate large areas of land, making them unusable for decades. 

• Nuclear power plants: Damage to nuclear power plants can be devastating

I bow to the sacred in all creation.
May my sprit fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.
May my heart forgive without limit.
May my love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May my needs be few and my living simple.
May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others. 
May my hands never harm a living being.
May my steps stay on the journey of justice.
May my tongue speak for those who are poor without fear of the powerful.
May my prayers rise with patient discontent until no child is hungry.
May my life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May my soul rejoice in the present moment.
May my imagination overcome death and despair with new possibility.
And may I risk reputation, comfort, and security to bring this hope to the children.

Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB

www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-peace