LocationsExplosive ordnance can remain embedded in landscapes long after conflicts have ended
Mine action clearing the path to climate resilience and lasting peace
April 2, 2026
Deminers surveying land in Lao PDR.
Photo: UNDP
In parts of Cambodia, land that once lay unused for years is slowly being reclaimed. For those living decades with the legacy of conflict, fields and forests were not simply unproductive–they were unsafe. Families avoided their own land, knowing that what lay beneath the soil could be deadly.
Across many parts of the world this reality persists. Explosive ordnance (EO), including landmines, cluster munitions and other remnants of war, remains embedded in landscapes long after conflicts have ended. Often hidden, these hazards shape how land is used, where individuals can move and whether communities can rebuild at all.
Today, an estimated 100 million people across more than 60 countries live with this threat, with new mines continuing to be deployed in places already struggling with climate change and forced displacement. Contaminated land cannot be safely farmed, restored or developed, delaying recovery.
EO from as far back as the Second World War still contaminate land and water in the Solomon Islands.
Photo: UNDP
Climate change is making these constraints even more acute. Floods can move EO from their original locations, storms can expose buried ordnance, and coastal erosion can shift explosives along shores and seabeds.
Climate related displacement is increasing, forcing people into unfamiliar terrains and potentially into harm’s way. Africa’s Sahel region grapples with increasing desertification as well as displacement from both conflict and climate change, with shifting sand dunes making movement of people as well as clearance more difficult.
Emerging research also shows flooding and coastal erosion accelerate the release of toxic chemicals from decaying ordnance, posing risks to both ecosystems and human health.
Land and ecosystems that could support climate adaptation, from agriculture to forests and coastal systems, remains inaccessible. This can increase pressure on limited resources and heighten the risk of tensions where access to land and livelihoods is closely tied to stability.
Mine clearance is vital to enable better adaptation to climate impacts. In doing so, it also helps stabilize fragile contexts, where climate action is closely linked to social cohesion and lasting peace.
An estimated 100 million people in more than 60 countries live with the threat of landmines, with new mines continuing to be deployed in places already struggling with climate change and forced displacement.
Photo: UNDP Ukraine/Kseniia Nevenchenko
Reclaiming land for climate-resilient livelihoods
When land cannot be safely accessed, households are forced to rely on smaller, often degraded areas for farming, grazing or fuel. This concentrates pressure on already limited resources, accelerating environmental degradation and increasing the risk of tensions in fragile settings where land and livelihoods are closely tied to stability.
Mine clearance helps reverse this dynamic by restoring safe access to land, reducing pressure on already overused areas and enabling more sustainable use of natural resources. This allows soils to recover and supports more resilient agricultural livelihoods. It also enables the development of infrastructure such as roads and bridges, strengthening connectivity and helping communities better withstand climate extremes while reducing the risk of tensions.
Land and water are key resources for communities to rebuild their lives and livelihoods after conflict.
Photo: UNDP Cambodia/Manuth Buth
More than 18,000 hectares of land has been cleared since 2020 in Cambodia, allowing 364,658 people to return to agriculture.
Photo: UNDP Cambodia
Across Southeast Asia, this shift is already visible. More than 18,000 hectares of land has been cleared since 2020 in Cambodia, allowing 364,658 people to return to agriculture, and permitting development of housing and local infrastructure. As land is reclaimed, cultivation can move away from degraded plots, allowing soils to recover, improving water retention and reducing the risk of crop failure during climate extremes, while stronger houses and infrastructure like roads and bridges can better withstand extreme weather events.
A similar transition is underway in Lao PDR, where more than 102,000 hectares of land have been cleared and over two million EO items destroyed since 1996, enabling safer access to agriculture and other income-generating activities. In Viet Nam, reclaimed land is supporting climate-smart rural development, combining resilient livelihoods with flood- and storm-resistant housing and community infrastructure.
Families can build more resilient houses on cleared land to withstand extreme weather events.
Photo: UNDP Viet Nam
Rebuilding systems and services
The impact of explosive hazards also determines whether the systems needed to prepare for climate risks can function at all. Infrastructure such as energy, transport and climate information systems cannot be installed or used until land is made safe.
EO from as far back as the Second World War still contaminate land and water in small island states like the Solomon Islands. Here, demining is enabling installation of early warning systems that enable authorities to anticipate extreme weather events, protecting lives and infrastructure in a region highly exposed to climate hazards.
Cleared land in the Solomon Islands is being used to install Early Warning Systems.
Photo: UNDP
In Ukraine, mine clearance is restoring water-based transport systems.
Photo: UNDP Ukraine/Oleksii Ushakov
In Ukraine, mine clearance is restoring water-based transport systems. An estimated 13,500 square kilometres of rivers, lakes and coastal areas are potentially contaminated with explosive remnants of war, limiting access to key waterways such as the Dnipro River and the Black Sea coast, which are vital for grain exports and irrigation. Reclaiming these waterways supports proper functioning of food supply chains and helps reduce pressure on global markets, particularly in African countries that rely on Ukrainian grain and are already facing climate stresses such as drought.
Restoring mobility and strengthening social cohesion
Contamination from landmines and explosive remnants of war restricts access to roads, water sources and grazing land, isolating communities. This can deepen inequalities and increase the risk of tensions, particularly where land and resources are already scarce.
In Zimbabwe, landmines along the Mozambique border have long hindered access to farmland, water points and grazing areas. As clearance efforts reopen these spaces, households move more freely, access shared resources and reduce competition over land and water. This not only supports livelihoods, but also helps rebuild trust and social cohesion in areas where restricted access has historically contributed to tension.
Odella Madheu, a deminer from Zimbabwe, has been working in the field for over a decade.
Photo: HALO Trust Zimbabwe
From risk to resilience
Clearing explosive hazards restores the foundations for climate resilience, recovery and stability. From farms and water systems to infrastructure and mobility, addressing the environmental impacts of war is important for climate adaptation efforts as calls continue to be made to legislate against ecocide–the large-scale destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity from conflicts.
Mine action allows communities to adapt to climate impacts and rebuild livelihoods, while reducing the risk of future crises and conflicts.
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