Madeleine Raine
Lawyers have drafted a new law that will criminalise environmental destruction (ecocide) and place it on par with war crimes.
Ecocide will become the fifth international crime alongside genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.
What is Ecocide?
Ecocide literally translates from the Latin and Greek phrase, ‘killing our home’.
Recently lawyers have expanded this definition, claiming ecocide to be an unlawful act against the environment with full knowledge and intention of its destruction. Such damage includes industrial pollution, the release of plastics into the oceans, and irreversibly damaging our ecosystems.
This comes just months before the 2021 COP26 Summit in Glasgow and aims to unify international nations against climate change.
International Support
Greta Thunberg, Pope Francis, and French President Emmanuel Macron all support this movement and recognise ecocide as a crime.
Former ICC prosecutions coordinator, Alex Whiting, said: “Defining the crime is a first step on a path of discussion, debate, and one day, ratification.”
Chair of Stop Ecocide Foundation, Jojo Mehta, added: “The definition is…concise, it’s based on strong legal precedents, and it will mesh well with existing laws.”
Across the world, people are fighting for action and justice for the environment.
This week, an elderly nun and eight teenagers launched legal action against the Australian government, aiming to direct government policy towards fighting climate change and building a more sustainable future.
Earlier this month, Friends of the Earth Netherlands won a case against Shell at The Hague. The group ordered the oil giant to cut emissions by 40% by 2040 in line with the Paris Peace Agreement.
French MEP Marie Toussaint, also supports this law claiming it’s the vital first step towards gaining public support and recognition.
“There have been working definitions in the past, but this is the first time that something has been convened globally and in response to political demand,” said Jojo Mehta.
Environmental offenders would then face prosecution at The Hague with severe repercussions.
Featured image courtesy of Angela Benito on Unsplash. This image has in no way been altered. Image licence is available here.
Madeleine Raine
Mads is a 23-year-old History graduate from Newcastle University. She is passionate about current affairs and British news, with a keen interest in investigative features. Aside from this, she is an avid reader, photographer, and yogi.