Azerbaijan takes Armenia to court over habitat damage

Azerbaijan has filed a case against Armenia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, accusing it of severe environmental damage during its occupation of Azerbaijani territories—a move marking the first inter-state arbitration under the Bern Convention.

On 12 February 2025, Azerbaijan submitted a Statement of Claim to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, initiating an arbitration case against Armenia under the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (1979). The claim accuses Armenia of multiple violations of its obligations under the convention.

After reclaiming its territories, Azerbaijan reported significant environmental destruction allegedly caused by Armenia, including the failure to protect habitats and species in a critical biodiversity hotspot. Azerbaijan claims that Armenia’s actions and inaction resulted in severe and irreversible damage to the region’s ecosystems.

In light of this evidence, Azerbaijan issued a Notice of Arbitration to Armenia on 18 January 2023, officially starting the arbitration process. The arbitral tribunal was established on 15 September 2023, and the first procedural conference between the two countries was held on 12 April 2024 at the Peace Palace in The Hague. This case is noted as the first inter-state arbitration under the Bern Convention.

Azerbaijan seeks full reparations from Armenia for extensive environmental damage, including deforestation, unsustainable logging, mining, and the construction of hydropower plants during Armenia’s occupation. These activities reportedly harmed numerous species and their habitats in the affected territories.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) previously reported that thousands of hectares of protected forests in Azerbaijan, including ancient trees over 2,000 years old, were damaged. The report also noted chemical pollution from mining, affecting water, soil, and biota, with mass fish deaths documented in the Okhchuchay River. Several protected fish and amphibian species remain under threat due to Armenia’s actions during the occupation.

Azerbaijan intends to continue pursuing justice and holding Armenia accountable for the environmental damage and failure to protect ecosystems during the period of occupation.

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