UN Lawyers Approve 28 Legal Principles to Reduce the Environmental Impacts of War

Jul 16, 2019 | Stavros Pantazopoulos
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This year is a defining one for the laws protecting the environment in conflict. This month, the UN’s International Law Commission has endorsed 28 legal principles intended to enhance protection before, during and after armed conflicts. Meanwhile the international community is awaiting the publication of new environmental rules for militaries that are being prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Eight of the principles adopted by the Commission in its long-running project were new this year. As the Commission has now finished the greater part of its involvement with the topic, Stavros Pantazopoulos discusses the eight new draft principles, identifies areas with room for improvement and looks ahead to what comes next.