International lawyers draft law against environmental destruction to criminalise 'ecocide'

In a bid to protect the world's ecosystem from destruction, International lawyers are outlining plans to legally enforce the crime of 'ecocide'. The drafting of the plan has already received massive support from European countries and island nations that are at risk from rising sea levels. The aim of the plan is to formulate a legal definition of 'ecocide'- (criminalising destruction of ecosystems) that would complement other existing international offences such as crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes.

Prof. Philippe Sands of University College London and Florence Mumba, a former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) are coordinating the panel of the environmental initiative. As per The Guardian report, the plan is convened by the 'Stop Ecocide Foundation' at the request of Swedish parliamentarians. The project started in November with an aim to correspond with the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Nuremberg war crimes trials of Nazi leaders in 1945.

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'Ecocide'

According to reports, numerous small island nations, including Vanuatu, in the Pacific and the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean, called for serious consideration of a crime of ecocide at the ICC’s annual assembly of state parties in December last year. Meanwhile, French president, Emmanuel Macron, has also promoted the idea and the Belgian government has pledged support. The UK's Shadow Justice Secretary, David Lammy, has also called for ecocide to be incorporated into law, the report stated.

The 13 powerful legal panels of experts from around the world include Tuiloma Neroni Slade of Samoa, who is also a former ICC judge. They are preparing to complete their project early next year.

Furthermore, an ICC policy paper in 2016 stated it was not formally extending its jurisdiction but would assess existing offences, such as crimes against humanity, in a broader context. There have been no formal investigations or charges of this type so far, according to report. Also, the International Criminal Court, which is based in The Hague, has previously vowed to prioritise crimes that result in the destruction of the environment, exploitation of natural resources and the illegal dispossession of land.

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