The Gulf War resulted in serious environmental damage. Iraq’s mass destruction of oil wells, the huge oil
spills caused by allied air strikes and the use of heavy tracked vehicles in the desert by both sides
triggered an environmental catastrophe, resulting in frequent sand storms, the destruction of marine
wildlife, and high levels of poisonous by-products, from the 1991 oil fires, in the air.
Kuwait is a member of several treaties concerning the preservation of the environment.
As of Feb. 27, 1975 Kuwait has been obliged under the International Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution of the Sea by Oil, to inter alia, limit the size of oil tankers and to regulate oil tankers
arrangements.
As of March 29, 1975, Kuwait has been obliged under the Convention Concerning Protection Against
Hazards of Poisoning Arising from Benzene, to, inter alia, protect workers from hazards arising from
benzene by using substitutes, providing adequate means of personal protection and taking all necessary
measures to prevent the escape of benzene vapor into the air.
As of July 1, 1979, Kuwait has been obliged under the Kuwait Regional Convention for Cooperation on
the Protection of the Marine Environment from Pollution to take all measures to prevent abate and
combat pollution of the marine environment caused by ships, aircraft, land-based sources, exploration of
the sea bed and other human activities. The convention also provides for a system of research and
cooperation between the gulf states. Under an enclosed protocol to this convention, the gulf states have
established the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center in order to combat sea pollution caused by oil.
Kuwait is a signatory to two treaties prohibiting the development and use of weapons modifying the
environment, namely bacteriological toxin and nuclear weapons. Furthermore, Kuwait has ratified, inter
alia, the following international environmental agreements: the 1977 UN Environmental Modification
Convention (ENMOD); the 1983 FAO International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources; the 1967
Outer Space Treaty; Annex 16 on Environmental Protection to the 1944 Chicago Convention on
International Air Aviation; the 1969 Brussels Convention Relating to Intervention on High Seas in case of
Oil Pollution Casualties and its 1973 protocol; the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea; and the
1971 Brussels Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation of Oil
Pollution Damage.