Support for International Crime of Ecocide: If Not Now, When?

Following the emergence in June 2021 of a legal definition of ecocide, political interest is growing rapidly in the possibility of amending the Rome Statute to include ecocide alongside genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crime of aggression. Fifteen (15) States Parties of the International Criminal Court, some of which are IUCN Member States, are already discussing it at parliamentary and/or governmental level. The IUCN Resolutions Committee has nonetheless rejected an IUCN new and urgent motion on the subject, apparently on grounds that there are no new developments on the subject, and that “consideration of this matter can wait until a later date”. How much of our planetary home needs to be destroyed before such a legal deterrent is considered urgent? This event is intended to inform IUCN Members, IUCN Member States, IUCN Council and the public on the need to support this strategic legal intervention on behalf of the planet, its people and future generations.