Accountability for Wartime Environmental Damage in Ukraine

Stavros Pantazopoulos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)
Nataliia Hendel, Institute of Information, Security and Law
of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine)

Joint presentation with Dr. Nataliia Hendel (Institute of Information, Security and Law of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine) The ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine has caused severe and enduring environmental harm, from pollution and land degradation to threats to nuclear safety. This presentation examines existing and emerging mechanisms of accountability for wartime environmental damage, including state responsibility, individual criminal responsibility, and reparations. It analyzes key international initiatives such as the proposal for the establishment of a Special Tribunal on Aggression Against Ukraine, an International compensation mechanism for victims of Russian aggression, and the Council of Europe’s Register for Damage, which notably includes environmental damage. The presentation also explores the potential use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s green reconstruction and evaluates domestic accountability efforts for environmental crimes and ecocide, with particular reference to the Nova Kakhovka dam’s destruction. By assessing legal and institutional developments, the presentation offers a comprehensive overview of current challenges and opportunities for strengthening accountability and advancing environmental justice in post-conflict recovery.