DOES THE NEXUS OF CONFLICT, ENVIRONMENT, AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEMAND AN EVOLUTION IN INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW?

Global sustainability faces mounting threats from the intertwined crises of environmental degradation and armed conflict, where resource disputes drive over 40% of internal strife, amplifying ecological and social vulnerabilities. This study examines the legal gaps in international humanitarian law (IHL) concerning environmental destruction during armed conflict, using the 2023 Nova Kakhovka Dam collapse as a focal point. It proposes a multi-faceted reform agenda to align these laws with 21st-century ecological and humanitarian needs, integrating UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a concise analysis, it critiques the restrictive thresholds of Additional Protocol I and ENMOD, advocating amendments to enhance environmental safeguards. The methodology blends legal analysis with case studies, revealing IHL’s inadequacies in addressing modern warfare’s ecological toll. The findings highlight a pressing need to redefine legal standards, strengthen enforcement, and introduce an Environmental Protection Convention, fostering sustainability and peacebuilding.