International responsibility for environmental damage in armed conflicts

Abstract

The international responsibility of states or conflicting parties for violating environmental protection rules during armed conflicts is a well-established principle of international law. States have an obligation to ensure the protection of the natural environment and not to cause serious environmental damage that may endanger local communities, including the obligation to repair the damage caused or provide compensation.

This responsibility also extends to protecting biodiversity and preventing the deliberate destruction of ecosystems, which emphasises the importance of holding offending parties accountable and imposing the necessary legal sanctions to ensure respect for the relevant international rules.