CANNAVACCIUOLO V. ITALY: A CAUTIOUS STEP IN PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO LIFE AGAINST ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
Author(s)
Date Issued
2025
Type
article
Volume
34
Issue
1
End Page
235
Abstract
On 30 January 2025, the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in
the case of Cannavacciuolo and Others v. Italy. The case concerns large-scale environmental pollution that affects a broad area of the Campania region, known as “Terra dei
fuochi” (Land of fires), inhabited by 2.9 million people. The judgment has been described
as a landmark ruling, as it is the first finding of a violation of Article 2 ECHR in an environmental pollution case and the first application of the pilot judgment procedure in
the context of environmental harm. The purpose of the present piece is, therefore, to determine the extent to which the Cannavacciuolo judgment is truly unprecedented. More
broadly, the article aims to explore whether the judgment could enhance the effectiveness of human rights protection in the context of widespread environmental degradation and influence the outcome of future cases.