UN Secretary-General notes need for international crime of ecocide

Written By Robin Gairdner

SUMMARY:

  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres has released a report providing an overview of the global state of ‘Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’ in 2023, describing the situation as “resoundingly grim” and citing a 72 percent increase in civilian casualties from 2022.

  • The report does however highlight progress made towards accountability for international crimes, noting several examples, including the Ukrainian government’s continued criminal investigations into allegations of war crimes and investigations into the destruction of the Kakhovka dam and other environmental damage as possible ecocide crimes under the Ukrainian criminal code. 

  • Referencing that only a handful of states have criminalised ecocide to date, the Secretary-General highlights the “need to establish a crime of ecocide at the international level” (para 45). 

  • The report also highlights new and emerging protection challenges including the role climate change is playing in exacerbating vulnerabilities by triggering extreme weather events, which, combined with ongoing conflicts, is worsening humanitarian conditions.


The Secretary-General’s full report, ‘Protection of civilians in armed conflict’, can be found here. 

Robin Gairdner
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