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Protection of Environment during Armed Conflicts

https://doi.org/10.26794/2308-944X-2018-6-2-19-29

Abstract

Environmental protection during the armed conflicts is rarely considered as a prioritized concern. Due to the concept of state sovereignty, this is especially problematic when examining interference of warfare and environmental protection in non-international conflicts. Not only it is challenging to find any exhaustive and explicit legal provisions regulating the matter, but this issue has also been forgotten by international legal scholars. Therefore, in this article, the author reviews are written and customary norms laid down in documents of different branches of international law, such as human rights law, international humanitarian law, environmental law and international criminal law, which directly or by way of interpretation may favour environmental protection during the internally armed conflict. This is to be done in order to gather information about the sufficiency of the legal framework on the preservation of the environment during the non-international armed conflicts. After doing this research, a few possible means to improve current legal framework are suggested. The author suggests to impose civil liability, enact new comprehensive document, initiates changes in international criminal law and other.

About the Author

T. L. Aimée Murphie
Financial University
Russian Federation


References

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27. The London Round Table Conference on ‘A “Fifth Geneva” Convention on the Protection of the Environment in Time of Armed Conflict.’ Read about the conference in more detail in the following section

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33. Bouvier, A. Protection of the Environment in Time of Armed Conflict. International Review of the Red Cross. 1991 12 31, 285, part C

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35. Ibid

36. Ibid. Art. 15

37. The Convention on the prohibition of the Development, production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, op. cit

38. Verwey, W. D., supra note 1, p. 16

39. Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (adopted 10 December, 1976, entry into force 5 October, 1978). 1108 U.N.T.S. 151

40. Tarasofsky, R. G. Legal Protection of the Environment during International Armed Conflict. Netherlands Yearbook of International Law. 1993: 17-79. Also see p. 47

41. Ibid

42. For this section, see generally Solis, G. D. supra note 1, p. 578-591

43. Amendment of the Article 1.2 of 1980 Convention on Prohibition or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (adoption 21 December, 2001, entry into force 18 May, 2004) 2260 U.N.T.S. 82

44. The Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects, supra note 9, Preamble

45. The Chemical Weapons Convention Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons (Protocol III), supra note 9, Article 2(4)

46. Official Website of International Committee of the Red Cross. Geneva, 2013 [interactive]. [accessed 06-06-2013]. http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/WebSign? ReadForm&id=600&ps=P

47. The 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, supra note 9

48. Voneky, S. Peacetime Environmental Law as a Basis for State Responsibility. Environmental Consequences of War. Legal, Economic and Scientifc Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 2000, p. 190-225

49. Legal Consequences of the Construction of Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. International Court of Justice, Advisory Opinion I. C. J. Reports. 2004, p. 136, para. 106

50. 1972 Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (adopted at the United Nation Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, 16 June, 1972). 11 I.L.M. 1416 (1972)

51. 1992 Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development (adopted at Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, 13 June, 1992). 31 I.L.M. 881 (1992)

52. Bothe, M.; Bruch, C.; Diamond, J. and Jensen, D., supra note 2, p. 585

53. Final Report to the Prosecutor by the Committee Established to Review the NATO Bombing Campaign Against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. 13 June, 2000 [interactive]. [accessed on 2013-06-07]. http://www.icty.org/sid/10052/en

54. The Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court (adopted 17 July, 1998, entry into force 1 July, 2003). 2187 U.N.T.S. 90. Article 8 (2)(b)(iv)

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56. Legal Consequences of the Construction of Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. International Court of Justice, supra note 26, paras. 106-109

57. Voneky, S., supra note 25

58. Ibid

59. Right to property, however, can be subjects of limitation during times of the emergency situation

60. Hampson, F. J. The Relationship between International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law from the Perspective of a Human Rights Treaty Body. International Review of a Red Cross. 2008, 90, 549-572

61. Hampson, F. J., supra note 40, p. 177

62. Henckaerts, J. M. and Doswald-Beck, L. Customary International Humanitarian Law. International Committee of the Red Cross, Vol. I, Rules. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009, p. 143

63. Henckaerts, J. M. Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law: A Contribution to the Understanding and Respect for the Rule of Law in Armed Conflict. International Review of the Red Cross. 2005, (87): 175-212, also see p. 191

64. More about location, purpose and use, see in Solis, G. D. supra note 1, p. 524-528

65. Henckaerts, J. M. and Doswald-Beck, L., op. cit., p. 175

66. Bothe, M.; Bruch, C.; Diamond, J. and Jensen, D., supra note 2

67. Bothe, M.; Bruch, C.; Diamond, J. and Jensen, D., op. cit., p. 577

68. Falk, R. The Environmental Law of War: an Introduction. Environmental Protection and the Law of War. London: Belhaven Press, 1992, p. 93

69. Ibid., p. 66

70. Gasser, P., Proposal for Action. American Journal of International Law. 1995, (89): 637-643, p. 639

71. Turk, H. The Negotiation of a New Geneva-style Convention: a Government Lawyer‘s Perspective. Environmental Protection and the Law of War. London: Belhaven Press, 1992, p. 98-103

72. Smith, T. Criminal Accountability or Civil Liability: Which Approach Most Effectively Redresses the Negative Environmental Consequences of Armed Conflict? International Law and Armed Conflict. Challenges in the 21st Century. The Hague: Asser Press, 2010, p. 95-114, see p. 104

73. Smith, T., op. cit., p. 104

74. Drumbl, M. A. Waging War against the World: the Need to Move from War Crimes to Environmental Crimes. Environmental Consequences of War. Legal, Economic and Scientifc Perspectives. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid: Cambridge University Press, 2000, 620-646, see p. 644

75. Roberts, A. The Law of War and Environmental Damage. Environmental Consequences of War. Legal, Economic and Scientifc Perspectives. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid: Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 47-86, see p. 77

76. The London Round Table Conference on ‘A “Fifth Geneva” Convention on the Protection of the Environment in Time of Armed Conflict.’ Read about the conference in more detail in the following section

77. Turk, H., supra note 54, p. 99

78. Drumbl, M. A., supra note 58, p. 640

79. Ripa di Meana, C. Environmental Protection and the Law of War. Introductory Speech. London: Belhaven press, 1992, p. 65-67

80. Turk, H., supra note 54, p. 101

81. Brunch, C. E. Introduction. Environmental Consequences of War. Legal, Economic and Scientific Perspectives. Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid: Cambridge University Press, 2000


Review

For citations:


Aimée Murphie T.L. Protection of Environment during Armed Conflicts. Review of Business and Economics Studies. 2018;6(2):19-29. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.26794/2308-944X-2018-6-2-19-29



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