A growing number of leading scientists, from a broad range of scientific disciplines all over the world, are calling on governments to make ecocide a crime within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) - to deliver a future in harmony with nature.
It is widely recognised that humanity stands at a crossroads.
There is clear scientific evidence that the emission of greenhouse gases and the destruction of ecosystems at current rates will have catastrophic consequences for our common environment. Along with political, diplomatic and economic initiatives, international law has a role to play in transforming our relationship with the natural world, shifting that relationship from one of harm to one of harmony.
The inadequacies of current global environmental governance are widely acknowledged. National and international laws are in place to contribute to the protection of the natural systems upon which our well-being depends, yet it is apparent that such laws are inadequate and more is needed.
The inclusion of ecocide in the Rome Statute¹ would add a new crime to international criminal law which could contribute to a change of consciousness, in support of a new direction, one that enhances the protection of the environment and supports a more collaborative and effective legal framework for our common future on a shared planet.
It offers a new and practical legal tool, one that has been developed by a team of internationally recognized legal experts².
Scientific knowledge provides a firm foundation for this amendment, and thus the scientific community can support our colleagues from legal professions in this endeavour.
We, the undersigned scientists, call on governments to collaborate internationally to make ecocide a crime within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
1 Rome Statute is the founding document of the International Criminal Court
2 For more information, see ‘Independent Expert Panel Commentary and Core Text’. This document is the source of the legal reasons for adding ecocide to the Rome Statute. Cf. the Introduction to the document.
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