International Environmental Law and Protection of the Environment during Military Conflicts (International Legal Aspects)

Abstract

The paper raises the problems of developing international environmental law in its military aspects. The author maintains that current norms are insufficient for protection of existing natural resources which support the living of humanity. The efforts being made in this direction by the International Law Commission of the UN General Assembly are analyzed in some details. The author concludes that a special agreement might be currently elaborated in in order to protect the environment in wartime. This agreement should be formulated in such a way that it could be admitted in a short time by as many military developed powers as possible. A proposal concerning elaboration of the Fifth Geneva Convention on protection of the environment in wartime also seems realistic.