Volume : 9, Issue : 8, AUG 2023

THE CRIME OF ECOCIDE: THE FUTURE OF ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION?

VIPASHA SINGH

Abstract

In the last decade, the term ‘Ecocide’ has been doing the rounds in legal and environment protection circles. The term was first coined by Arthur W. Galston at the Conference on War and National Responsibility in Washington, where he also proposed a new international agreement to ban ecocide. On the surface, it seems to be a concept with promise, aimed at protecting our planet and holding accountable, those who have caused it harm.

Stop Ecocide International, the foundation that has been carrying this movement upon its shoulders has done robust work in a short period of time. From garnering international support, fundraising and instituting an Independent Expert Panel with leading attorneys and environmental activists to help create a definition, i.e. (Art. 8 ter) to be added to the Rome statute, they have been relentless in their pursuit for the criminalization of Ecocide.

Their work although has highlighted the need to come up with ways to protect our environment, it has also led to questions such as whether criminalization of Ecocide is the answer, whether it will have the widespread effect that its proponents are promising. Like any new concept, this concept too has to go through a trial by fire to get to the other side.

The aim of this research is to identify the pros and cons of the criminalization of Ecocide, the process to be undertaken, the roadblocks and to make an attempt at identifying whether its criminalization could be the future of environment protection.

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Article No : 9

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References

1. What is Ecocide?, Stop Ecocide International https://www.stopecocide.earth/what-is-ecocide

2. Vanuatu calls for international criminal court to seriously consider recognizing crime of ecocide, Stop Ecocide International (Dec. 3, 2019)

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4. Supra 1

5. David Whyte, ‘Ecocide: Kill the Corporation before it kills us’, Sep. 2020

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