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Portrait of Britta Sjöstedt. Photo.

Britta Sjöstedt

Senior lecturer

Portrait of Britta Sjöstedt. Photo.

Re-evaluating international humanitarian law in a triple planetary crisis : New challenges, new tools

Author

  • Britta Sjöstedt
  • Karen Hulme

Summary, in English

In the face of the triple planetary crisis, which includes climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, there is growing recognition that the environment needs to be re-evaluated and better protected. Recent developments, such as a values assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES),1 the concept of biocultural rights and the acknowledgment of granting rights to nature, emphasize the intrinsic value of the environment and endorse the understanding of the interconnectedness between humans and non-human entities. These developments are also increasingly evident in legal frameworks; for instance, several domestic legal systems now accept the rights of nature and grant legal standing to natural entities. This expansion in our understanding of the environment challenges the traditional anthropocentric focus of international law, which has primarily prioritized human rights and interests, perceiving humans as having dominance over nature and the liberty to harness its resources. Simultaneously, international environmental law is increasingly recognizing the interdependence of ecosystems and species. This acknowledgment drives the promotion of approaches to environmental management and conservation that centre around ecosystems and local communities. The present article looks at how to reconcile these heightened environmental values and the legal norms in armed conflict by examining two examples: the safeguarding of protected areas and the restoration of the environment post-conflict. By analyzing the changing values and legal developments in this area, the article offers legal and practical tools to support the protection of nature's intrinsic value in future warfare.

Department/s

  • Department of Law

Publishing year

2023-11-06

Language

English

Pages

1238-1266

Publication/Series

International Review of the Red Cross

Volume

105

Issue

924

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Topic

  • Law

Keywords

  • Public international law
  • Folkrätt

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1816-3831