Ambiente e “Terra dei fuochi”: tra tutela dei diritti umani e partecipazione democratica

The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the case of Cannavacciuolo and others v. Italy represents a turning point in the relationship between environmental protection and human rights, because for the first time the Court has recognised the serious shortcomings of the state apparatus in managing pollution in the so-called “Terra dei Fuochi” (Land of Fires) as a violation of the right to life under Article 2 of the ECHR. This article aims to analyse the substantive and procedural implications of the ruling, paying particular attention to the role attributed to environmental information and the significant activation of the “pilot judgment” procedure as a structural response to systemic violations. Starting from the Cannavacciuolo case, the article reflects on the progressive consolidation, in case law, of an increasingly close link between environmental protection and the protection of human rights.