Methodological Approaches and Instruments for Assessment of Environmental Harm to The Natural Environment in Conditions of Armed Conflicts: International Legal Dimension

This article examines methodological and legal approaches to assessing environmental damage caused during armed conflicts. It argues that wartime environmental assessment differs fundamentally from peacetime monitoring because of the dynamic nature of hostilities, fragmented information, destroyed monitoring infrastructure, and security risks for specialists. The study substantiates the need to apply systems-based and ecosystem-oriented approaches that view the environment as an interconnected whole rather than as a set of isolated natural components. Particular attention is given to component-specific and ecosystem indicators, including air, water, soil, biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and public health parameters. The article also analyzes the complementary use of field and laboratory methods, satellite imagery, geographic information systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It concludes that international law is moving toward a scientifically grounded and interdisciplinary model for environmental damage assessment, although its implementation remains constrained by limited access to affected territories, insufficient methodological standardization, and the absence of a specialized international post-conflict assessment mechanism.

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