Baku, February 13, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Republic of Azerbaijan has officially filed a Statement of Claim with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague in its ongoing arbitration case against Armenia under the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats of 1979 (Bern Convention), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
The Statement of Claim details Armenia’s alleged multiple violations of its legal obligations under the Bern Convention. Azerbaijan contends that following the liberation of its territories, it uncovered substantial evidence of Armenia’s environmental destruction and failure to protect habitats and species within one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. According to the Azerbaijani government, Armenia’s actions and omissions have caused severe and irreversible damage to local ecosystems.
Azerbaijan initiated arbitration proceedings by serving a Notice of Arbitration on Armenia on January 18, 2023. The arbitral tribunal was officially constituted on September 15, 2023, and the first procedural conference between the parties took place on April 12, 2024, at the Peace Palace in The Hague. Notably, this represents the first known inter-state arbitration case under the Bern Convention.
Azerbaijan is seeking full reparations from Armenia for extensive environmental damage, including widespread deforestation, unsustainable logging, mining, and hydropower plant construction. These activities, conducted during Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijani territory, are said to have severely impacted hundreds of wildlife species and their natural habitats.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has previously documented significant ecological damage in the region. Reports indicate that thousands of hectares of specially protected and valuable forests in Azerbaijan, home to ancient trees over 2,000 years old, were harmed. Among these is the oriental plane forest in the Basitchay River valley, designated for the protection of rare ecosystems. Furthermore, UNEP findings reveal that mining operations in the formerly occupied territories led to severe chemical pollution of water, soil, and biota. Mass fish deaths were recorded in the Okhchuchay River, with several protected fish and amphibian species remaining under threat due to Armenia’s actions during the occupation.
Azerbaijan has reaffirmed its commitment to seeking justice and holding Armenia internationally accountable for environmental destruction, emphasizing its dedication to protecting biodiversity and restoring damaged ecosystems.
