Reports
The Right to a Clean and Healthy Environment in the European Human Rights System: The Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War (Part I)
- Europe Team
- 19 September 2025
The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment has recently become even more important within the international human rights system. This right is crucial because it is connected to the life, health, safety, and dignity of all people. When the environment is polluted, degraded, or destroyed, it is very hard for people to survive, especially in areas where there is an ongoing armed conflict. Unfortunately, this right is still not fully protected in legal terms, and even less so during armed conflict. Environmental harm that is caused by war is often ignored or seen as less urgent, even when it has a long-lasting and serious impact on civilians.
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which started in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, has caused not only massive human suffering but also great damage to the environment. For example, air and water are more polluted because of the war, the forests and the biodiversity in general are destroyed, and the attacks on energy and industrial infrastructure can cause huge damage to the environment and human beings. Sometimes, people harm the environment accidentally, but when it comes to armed conflict, they are not accidental anymore, some of them are directly linked with military strategies. Whether the damage to the environment is caused accidentally or with intent, the result is the same, people are forced to live in unsafe, unhealthy conditions, and sometimes they even have to leave their own homes.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognised the right to a healthy environment in 2022, but to this day, there is no clear legal enforcement, especially when it comes to war. People should keep in mind that the environmental destruction that happens during armed conflicts is not just a problem for the future, it is already hurting a lot of people, especially vulnerable communities, minorities, and displaced persons.
This report is divided into three parts. The first part delves deeper into the European human rights system and how it deals with the right to a clean and healthy environment. The first part of the report aims to discuss the history of environmental protection under Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and finally explain why society needs to recognise the right to a clean and healthy environment. This report will be followed by the second part of the report, with more focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine, the environmental destruction caused by the war, and legal gaps. The third part of this report also provides global and comparative perspectives on this issue and policy recommendations.
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which started in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, has caused not only massive human suffering but also great damage to the environment. For example, air and water are more polluted because of the war, the forests and the biodiversity in general are destroyed, and the attacks on energy and industrial infrastructure can cause huge damage to the environment and human beings. Sometimes, people harm the environment accidentally, but when it comes to armed conflict, they are not accidental anymore, some of them are directly linked with military strategies. Whether the damage to the environment is caused accidentally or with intent, the result is the same, people are forced to live in unsafe, unhealthy conditions, and sometimes they even have to leave their own homes.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognised the right to a healthy environment in 2022, but to this day, there is no clear legal enforcement, especially when it comes to war. People should keep in mind that the environmental destruction that happens during armed conflicts is not just a problem for the future, it is already hurting a lot of people, especially vulnerable communities, minorities, and displaced persons.
This report is divided into three parts. The first part delves deeper into the European human rights system and how it deals with the right to a clean and healthy environment. The first part of the report aims to discuss the history of environmental protection under Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and finally explain why society needs to recognise the right to a clean and healthy environment. This report will be followed by the second part of the report, with more focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine, the environmental destruction caused by the war, and legal gaps. The third part of this report also provides global and comparative perspectives on this issue and policy recommendations.
✨ AI summary
The right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment has recently become even more important within the international human rights system. This right is crucial because it is connected to the life, health, safety, and dignity of all people. When the environment is polluted, degraded, or destroyed, it is very hard for people to survive, especially in areas where there is an ongoing armed conflict. Unfortunately, this right is still not fully protected in legal terms, and even less so during armed conflict. Environmental harm that is caused by war is often ignored or seen as less urgent, even when it has a long-lasting and serious impact on civilians.
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which started in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, has caused not only massive human suffering but also great damage to the environment. For example, air and water are more polluted because of the war, the forests and the biodiversity in general are destroyed, and the attacks on energy and industrial infrastructure can cause huge damage to the environment and human beings. Sometimes, people harm the environment accidentally, but when it comes to armed conflict, they are not accidental anymore, some of them are directly linked with military strategies. Whether the damage to the environment is caused accidentally or with intent, the result is the same, people are forced to live in unsafe, unhealthy conditions, and sometimes they even have to leave their own homes.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognised the right to a healthy environment in 2022, but to this day, there is no clear legal enforcement, especially when it comes to war. People should keep in mind that the environmental destruction that happens during armed conflicts is not just a problem for the future, it is already hurting a lot of people, especially vulnerable communities, minorities, and displaced persons.
This report is divided into three parts. The first part delves deeper into the European human rights system and how it deals with the right to a clean and healthy environment. The first part of the report aims to discuss the history of environmental protection under Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and finally explain why society needs to recognise the right to a clean and healthy environment. This report will be followed by the second part of the report, with more focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine, the environmental destruction caused by the war, and legal gaps. The third part of this report also provides global and comparative perspectives on this issue and policy recommendations.
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which started in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, has caused not only massive human suffering but also great damage to the environment. For example, air and water are more polluted because of the war, the forests and the biodiversity in general are destroyed, and the attacks on energy and industrial infrastructure can cause huge damage to the environment and human beings. Sometimes, people harm the environment accidentally, but when it comes to armed conflict, they are not accidental anymore, some of them are directly linked with military strategies. Whether the damage to the environment is caused accidentally or with intent, the result is the same, people are forced to live in unsafe, unhealthy conditions, and sometimes they even have to leave their own homes.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognised the right to a healthy environment in 2022, but to this day, there is no clear legal enforcement, especially when it comes to war. People should keep in mind that the environmental destruction that happens during armed conflicts is not just a problem for the future, it is already hurting a lot of people, especially vulnerable communities, minorities, and displaced persons.
This report is divided into three parts. The first part delves deeper into the European human rights system and how it deals with the right to a clean and healthy environment. The first part of the report aims to discuss the history of environmental protection under Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), as well as the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and finally explain why society needs to recognise the right to a clean and healthy environment. This report will be followed by the second part of the report, with more focus on the ongoing war in Ukraine, the environmental destruction caused by the war, and legal gaps. The third part of this report also provides global and comparative perspectives on this issue and policy recommendations.
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