Reframing the Remnants of War

Abstract

Since 2011, states and civil society have sought to draw attention to the health and environmental risks from the toxic remnants of war; a process that has led to the International Law Commission proposing a draft principle that obliges states to help minimize their risks to the environment following conflicts. In addition to raising awareness of the impact and legacy of conflict pollution, the process has helped to reverse the historical decoupling of explosive remnants of war from other physical and toxic war remnants. Itself a product of the humanitarian advocacy framing promoted by the civil society-led campaign against anti-personnel landmines. The new draft principle on the toxic and hazardous remnants of war, which is one of several proposed to help address and remedy environmental damage following conflicts, could eventually help fill a gap in how the international community responds to pollution caused or exacerbated by armed conflict.

Humanitarian Diplomacy Definitions and Approaches

“…While weapons treaties are usually led and framed by political and military actors, NGOs were able to set the policy agenda to focus on humanitarian aspects and the effects on victims (Rutherford, 2000). The 'framing' of problems can be influential in bringing them to public attention and policy frameworks (Weir, 2017). For example, civil society actors have sought to draw attention to and mitigate the environmental consequences of war, reframing the issue and prompting the International Law Commission to draft the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC) principles (Weir, 2017).…”

“…The 'framing' of problems can be influential in bringing them to public attention and policy frameworks (Weir, 2017). For example, civil society actors have sought to draw attention to and mitigate the environmental consequences of war, reframing the issue and prompting the International Law Commission to draft the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC) principles (Weir, 2017).…”

“…• Humanitarian diplomats have had some success in promoting humanitarian norms and laws internationally, through strategies such as framing, agenda setting and evidence gathering (e.g. Hutchinson, 1989;Regnier, 2011;Rutherford, 2000;Weir, 2017).…”