Damage to 33 Iraqi wetlands of international significance.
Mr Baker said: "The Gulf region is facing an environmental disaster. The
previous conflict saw environmental damage on an unprecedented scale.
"With Saddam Hussein personally threatened, this conflict will take that
destruction to new levels.
"Article 55 of the Geneva Convention is clear.
"Care must be taken in warfare to protect the natural environment. If a war
starts, all sides must respect the requirements of the Geneva Convention.
"Conflict must be conducted in a manner that doesn't damage the environment
any further than necessary.
Mr Baker stressed: "The environment is often the long-term casualty of the war.
Baker: Environment 'long-term casualty of war'
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"Whilst
thoughts will be focused on the military and political strategy, the danger is
that the environmental impact of war will be sidelined with the repercussions of
its destruction felt for generations."
But Mr Hoon said British troops were "trying to ensure that the oil fields are not used to damage the environment".
"We have had a very early, very significant success in securing the al-Faw peninsula," he told the BBC's Five Live.
"The reason for that is that there are pumping stations there and there has been a long held concern that the Iraqis might open the pumps and pour oil into the Gulf, causing catastrophic ecological damage to a number of countries adjacent to the Gulf.
"That success by British Royal Marine forces has meant that that ecological disaster has been averted.
"Obviously other efforts are being made to secure other parts of the oil fields. Can I emphasise that those efforts are continuing."
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There has been a long held concern that the Iraqis might open the pumps and pour oil into the Gulf
