Our Handbook is online
OUT NOW: GROMADA Handbook on the Legal Dimension of Environmental Harm Monitoring in War Contexts, with and by Conflict-Affected Communities
The Handbook on the Legal Dimension of Environmental Harm Monitoring in War Contexts, with and by Conflict-Affected Communities is a key outcome of the GROMADA project, an Erasmus+ initiative aimed at supporting legal and public capacity for environmental recovery in Ukraine. It explores two main areas: the legal frameworks protecting the environment during armed conflict and the role of civic environmental monitoring (CEM) and citizen science (CS) in gathering evidence for legal proceedings.
The Handbook provides an overview of international legal frameworks, including international humanitarian law (IHL), international environmental law (IEL), human rights law, and international criminal law. It highlights their relevance, limitations, and the challenges posed by fragmented legal protections during armed conflict.
Additionally, the Handbook underscores the potential of civic evidence stemming from CEM and CS practices to support legal claims. It draws on examples such as the Formosa case and Ukraine’s EcoZagroza platform to demonstrate how local communities can document environmental harm, despite challenges like resource gaps, data access, and participant safety. These participatory methods offer valuable contributions to court proceedings, recovery efforts, and public accountability.
Three conclusions emerge: the legal framework for environmental protection during armed conflict is fragmented; civic evidence can significantly support legal claims; and leveraging such evidence through participatory practices could enhance enforcement and strengthen the effectiveness of environmental legal claims in court.
The Handbook is addressed to civil society actors engaged in gathering evidence of environmental harms in Ukraine and other conflict-affected states who are willing to document environmental damages in a national or international court in the future.
The handbook can be downloaded here: https://gromada-erasmus.eu/handbook/