Greening the Law of Environmental Protection in Armed Conflicts

The issue of the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts (`PERAC') has gained momentum in recent times, especially in the post-2000s period. This development follows the more general trend of `greening' international law, which is now a cross-cutting theme permeating the entire international legal order. Against this background, I periodize the different phases of international PERAC-related processes by reference to specific historical events with symbolic value. My objective is twofold: at first, I endeavour to demonstrate that the process of greening both the practice and the law of PERAC is being increasingly driven by actors other than States. At a second step, I explore the extent to which greening within PERAC has taken place. To do that, I offer certain concrete examples drawn from two recent legal initiatives, undertaken by the International Law Commission and the International Committee of the Red Cross, respectively.