Landmines, a persistent threat in post-conflict zones, pose severe risks to both human lives and the environment. These explosive devices, often buried underground, remain dormant for years, contaminating soil and water and causing long-term ecological damage.
While robust legal frameworks governing landmines exist under international humanitarian law (IHL), landmine instruments have only recently begun to incorporate more explicit environmental protections. In this post, and as part of the Emerging Voices series, Goran Sandić, Researcher at the University of Belgrade and Coordinator of the Belgrade International Law Circle, argues that the “polluter pays” principle – originally formulated in international environmental law – can serve as an interpretive lens to reinforce the responsibility of states and other actors for environmental harm arising from landmine use.
Read more...
Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
Related:
- IDSC publishes infographic on Egypt’s efforts in landmine clearance
April 4, 2026
The Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) published an infographic on Saturday, 4/4/2026, titled “from war remnants to development opportunities: Egypt’s efforts in combating landmines,” highlighting key national and international efforts to address the dangers of landmines and maximize the use of cleared land. The center noted that globally, more than 41 million stockpiled anti-personnel ...
- Deminers race to keep up with military technology
April 3, 2026
In conflict zones where new technologies are making landmines more dangerous, deminers must innovate at the same pace to avoid being left behind, a leading UN mines expert has told UN News. In the Ukraine conflict, landmine technology is setting a precedent for a new era of development. 3D printers are used to produce basic models ...
- Lebanon: UNDP and Minister of National Defense Sign Support Agreement for LMAC
April 2, 2026
The Minister of National Defense, Major General Michel Menassa, received in his office in Yarzeh today the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lebanon, Blerta Aliko, in the presence of representatives of donor countries and partners from the European Union, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, and Japan. During ...
- UK: AI-powered drones to detect explosive threats and protect military personnel
April 2, 2026
UK military personnel are set to be better protected on the battlefield as a result of trials which demonstrate cutting-edge AI in drones can rapidly recognise new threats, such as landmines and other explosive ordnance. The major trial by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) on behalf of the British Army allowed bomb-disposal experts to ...
- Invest in Peace; Invest in Mine Action
April 1, 2026
The world marks the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on 4 April, reaffirming the essential role mine action plays in securing peace, enabling recovery, and driving sustainable development. This year’s global theme, “Invest in Peace, Invest in Mine Action,” highlights a fundamental truth: peace cannot be sustained where landmines, cluster munition ...
- Every Step Could be a Threat: Children and Explosive Remnants of War
April 1, 2026
In conflict and post-conflict settings, children face daily the risk of being killed or maimed from mines and explosive remnants of war. On the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, calls for urgent and renewed attention and resources for ...
- Syria: Two members of engineering teams injured in landmine explosion in northern Al-Raqqah
March 31, 2026
Two members of an engineering unit specialized in mine clearance, affiliated with the Syrian Army’s 72nd Division, were injured due to the explosion of an old landmine while they were attempting to dismantle it in Ain Issa town in northern Al-Raqqah countryside. War remnants are prevalent over large geographical areas in Syria amid a complete absence ...
- Women’s participation enhances the effectiveness of mine action in Viet Nam
March 30, 2026
The event brought together representatives from state agencies, international organisations, mine action operators, and experts from Colombia, Laos, and Lebanon. The workshop aimed to review and validate the findings of a recent report, while discussing its recommendations, with a view to developing an action plan to promote gender mainstreaming and diversity in survey and clearance operations, ...
- Thailand: Mine clearance stepped up on Sa Kaeo border as more than 60,000 sq m remain high-risk
March 28, 2026
Burapha Task Force says it has cleared 39,100 sq m of a nearly 100,000-sq-m suspected hazardous area on the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo, but more than 60% remains dangerous. A POMZ-2 anti-personnel mine was recently found and removed. Burapha Task Force, through Humanitarian Mine Action Unit 1, on Saturday entered the Thai-Cambodian border area to ...
- Iran: US-made Gator anti-tank mines reportedly discovered near missile facility outside Shiraz
March 27, 2026
Images circulating online appear to show U.S.-made scatterable anti-tank land mines near a suspected Iranian missile facility outside Shiraz, raising questions about whether the United States has begun using area-denial weapons to hinder Iran’s missile operations. Iranian state media first reported the discovery of the devices on Thursday, claiming several people were killed after the mines ...
