Environmental terrorism consists of one or more unlawful or even hostile actions that harm or destroy environmental resources or deprive others of their use.^[1] It is different to environmental vandalism, which is a rather permitted but ethically disputed destruction of environment.^[2]

Definition

There are academic and semantic difficulties in defining "terrorism" and specifically "environmental terrorism", but discussions of environmental terrorism are growing with a focus on identifying possible risks to natural resources or environmental features. Some,^[3] including in the military ^[4] argue that attacks on natural resources can now cause more deaths, property damage, political chaos, and other adverse effects than in previous years.

Chalecki distinguishes between environmental terrorism and eco-terrorism. She notes that environmental terrorism can be defined "as the unlawful use of force against in situ environmental resources so as to deprive populations of their benefit(s) and/or destroy other property". In contrast, eco-terrorism is the destruction of property in the interest of saving the environment from human encroachment and destruction.^[5] More concisely, environmental terrorism involves targeting natural resources. Eco-terrorism involves targeting the built environment such as roads, buildings and trucks, in defense of natural resources. Other analysts may fail to distinguish between these different threats.^{[citation needed]}

Examples

Incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip were used to burn down approximately 2,260 acres of woodland in Israel during the first half of 2018.^[6]

Children of Fire Initiative, an organization believed to be an offshoot of PKK, claimed responsibility for multiple arson and wildfire attacks in Turkey, including those that happened in 2020.^[7]

Illegal burnings of garbage in the West bank has been claimed as acts of environmental terrorism against Israelis as it is one of the main causes of carcinogenic air pollution in Israel.^[8][9]