Summary:
On November 15-16, 2024, the General Assembly of the United Nations Association of Germany (UNA-Germany, DGVN)—the association’s highest decision-making body—adopted a motion supporting the recognition of ecocide as an international crime at the International Criminal Court.
The adopted motion primarily addresses the German administration, calling for the newly formed government ‘to actively support international efforts to include ecocide in international criminal law - both at European and international level.’
The motion also explicitly endorses the September 2024 formal proposal from Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa to amend the Rome Statute, stating that ‘recognising ecocide as a crime gives humanity a moral, universal compass for dealing with the natural foundations of life.’
You can find the DGVN press release here, and the full motion with its justification here.
About the DGVN
The DGVN was founded in 1952 in Baden-Württemberg. It is organised into seven regional associations and carries out more than 100 projects every year. The board and executive committee are very well connected with politics.
The work of the DGVN is based on the conviction that global challenges can only be solved through close international cooperation and understanding between peoples. The organisation advocates the protection of human rights and the strengthening of international law.
The DGVN carries out public relations work, is involved in youth and educational work, networks science and advises politicians. The aim is to convey a differentiated image of the United Nations and its work and to play a committed role in shaping UN policy. The DGVN is non-partisan, inclusive, diverse and benefits from the active participation and UN expertise of its approximately 2,000 members across Germany.
