International Humanitarian Law and Environmental Protection in Armed Conflict: An Evaluation of Effectiveness

Abstract

The continuous need to safeguard human beings and protect the conditions necessary for their survival is the core driving force behind this study. Human life depends on security, dignity, and the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms at all times, including during war. As the concept of human rights has expanded, its influence has increasingly shaped the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), a central branch of public international law that deals with the conduct of hostilities and the protection of war victims.
Modern armed conflicts not only threaten human life but also cause extensive and long-term damage to the natural environment. This paper examines the extent to which IHL contributes to the protection of the environment in situations of armed conflict. It does so by reviewing relevant literature, international conferences, treaties, and conventions that address environmental protection within the framework of IHL, and by analyzing the legal mechanisms that regulate environmental harm in both international and non-international armed conflicts.