Ecocide is a term used to describe crimes against nature, and it has just been added to Europe’s draft list of environmental crimes.
This draft law will require member states to ensure that any action they take does not cause wide-spread and/or long-term impacts to the environment. The law will also impose sanctions on member states that do not comply with the regulations set.
In the next few months, the 27 member states of the EU will discuss the new environmental crime directive. Once conversations end, the list of crimes will either be approved or denied.
In the draft, the European parliament defined ecocide as a “severe destruction of nature.”
Several organizations have fought for the international recognition of ecocide as a crime. The most prominent is Stop Ecocide International. Their efforts have successfully made ecocide a recognized crime in 10 countries, including both Russia and Ukraine.
With the EU now considering its recognition, many hope ecocide will be recognized in other larger countries like the United States.
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. sprayed around 19 million gallons of harmful chemicals across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in order to expose the enemy. The most well-known chemical used is called Agent Orange. This chemical not only killed every plant in sight, but also caused cancer and birth disorders in humans, according to Cleveland Clinic.
The damage caused by Agent Orange, which is still being addressed to this day, resulted in lengthy conversations in the United Nations as to how to address ecocide.
Today, there are many prominent leaders that are calling for the global recognition of the crime. Pope Francis, environmentalist Greta Thunberg, naturalist Jane Goodall and musician Paul McCartney are some of the most well-known voices.
Supporters of the new law cite the Amazon fires and destabilizing ice sheets in Greenland as major examples of the consequences of ecocide.
If ecocide were to gain global recognition, not only would organizations be held responsible, but the person(s) in charge would be held accountable and charged accordingly.
Ecocide as a global criminal offense would create the greatest protection for the environment. In many countries, corporate tycoons are more powerful than the country’s government. The proposed law would change that, threatening the labelling of “international criminal” and equal punishment.
The United States is not currently a member of the International Criminal Court, the court that would impose punishment for the crime of ecocide. However, if an American organization had resources in a member state, sanctions would be imposed, and the International Criminal Court would have jurisdiction.
The likelihood of the U.S. joining the network of states that recognize ecocide as a crime is slim, however, it is not impossible.
Writing to local representatives, protesting harmful practices like the opening of the Willow Project in Alaska, signing petitions and educating friends and family on the concept of ecocide can all help the ecocide movement gain traction in the US.
Mackenzie Davidson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @mackenzie_films