Chapter 2
Ecology, War, and Nuclear Testing
in the Pacific: The Path of Reconciliation
Clive W. Ayre, Karenne Hills, and Johannes M. Luetz
Abstract Armed conflict has been part of the human experience for all recorded
history, and together with peoples and cultures, the environment has been a major
casualty of this. The causes and costs of war are numerous, complex and invariably expensive, leaving a toll that is measured not only in financial terms, but also
in terms of the impact on the natural ecology, communities and wildlife, along
with the wastage of finite resources. The ecological footprint from war and nuclear
testing in the Pacific is noted particularly. Faith communities have a role to play
in reaching for a solution to global conflict, and scriptural records begin to point
the way towards a wholistic attitude towards reconciliation. This chapter identifies
ten aspects of that charter, which taken together, form a significant and challenging
opportunity for people of faith to contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable future.
Armed conflict rarely has any long-term winners, wherefore the way forward both
for the environment and indeed all life, will be found in the more unifying goal of
reconciliation.
C. W. Ayre (B)
University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
e-mail: c.ayre@bigpond.com
K. Hills
Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Christian Heritage College, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
J. M. Luetz
School of Social Sciences, Christian Heritage College (CHC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
e-mail: jluetz@chc.edu.au
School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Maroochydore, QLD,
Australia
School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. M. Luetz and P. D. Nunn (eds.), Beyond Belief, Climate Change Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67602-5_2
17
Ecology, War, and Nuclear Testing
in the Pacific: The Path of Reconciliation
Clive W. Ayre, Karenne Hills, and Johannes M. Luetz
Abstract Armed conflict has been part of the human experience for all recorded
history, and together with peoples and cultures, the environment has been a major
casualty of this. The causes and costs of war are numerous, complex and invariably expensive, leaving a toll that is measured not only in financial terms, but also
in terms of the impact on the natural ecology, communities and wildlife, along
with the wastage of finite resources. The ecological footprint from war and nuclear
testing in the Pacific is noted particularly. Faith communities have a role to play
in reaching for a solution to global conflict, and scriptural records begin to point
the way towards a wholistic attitude towards reconciliation. This chapter identifies
ten aspects of that charter, which taken together, form a significant and challenging
opportunity for people of faith to contribute to a more peaceful and sustainable future.
Armed conflict rarely has any long-term winners, wherefore the way forward both
for the environment and indeed all life, will be found in the more unifying goal of
reconciliation.
C. W. Ayre (B)
University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
e-mail: c.ayre@bigpond.com
K. Hills
Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Christian Heritage College, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
J. M. Luetz
School of Social Sciences, Christian Heritage College (CHC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
e-mail: jluetz@chc.edu.au
School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Maroochydore, QLD,
Australia
School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. M. Luetz and P. D. Nunn (eds.), Beyond Belief, Climate Change Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67602-5_2
17