Combinant quatre critères d’incrimination qui renvoient au fondement, à la structure et aux fonctions du droit pénal (la valeur protégée, le caractère illicite du comportement, la typologie de l’atteinte et la faute), cette méthode permet... more
Combinant quatre critères d’incrimination qui renvoient au fondement, à la structure et aux fonctions du droit pénal (la valeur protégée, le caractère illicite du comportement, la typologie de l’atteinte et la faute), cette méthode permet de penser un droit pénal commun de l’environnement qui aurait l’ambition de trouver un nouveau point d’équilibre entre légitimité et efficacité dans un contexte où les risques se multiplient et la responsabilité individuelle s’atomise. Ces critères permettent également de tracer les différents « mouvements de politique criminelle » qui émergent à l’horizon de l’internationalisation du droit pénal de l’environnement : un mouvement d’harmonisation des écocrimes ; un mouvement d’unification du crime international d’écocide ; enfin, un possible mouvement de dépénalisation d’une partie du droit répressif ou accessoire, encore privilégié à l’échelle national pour la protection de l’environnement.
Fourth International Conference of the Transatlantic Marine Environment Research Network (TRAMEREN) on Enhancing Climate Action Beyond the State, University of Copenhagen & New York University. 1 – 2 June 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark.... more
Fourth International Conference of the Transatlantic Marine Environment Research Network (TRAMEREN) on Enhancing Climate Action Beyond the State, University of Copenhagen & New York University. 1 – 2 June 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark. Giovanni Chiarini, "Courts" panel: "Climate Change and Criminal Procedure: Ecocide Proposals and International Criminal Courts Jurisdictional Obstacles".
A number of studies have shown that ecocide can be a method of genocide if, for example, environmental destruction results in conditions of life that fundamentally threaten a social group’s cultural and/or physical existence.1 With the... more
A number of studies have shown that ecocide can be a method of genocide if, for
example, environmental destruction results in conditions of life that fundamentally
threaten a social group’s cultural and/or physical existence.1 With the ever-increasing
rise of such cases of ecological destruction brought on by the extractive industries, or
indirectly induced by anthropogenic climate change, we argue that the field of
genocide studies should draw from the rich scholarly tradition of political ecology
and environmental sociology. Indeed, it is the contention of the authors that, given the
looming threat of runaway climate change in the twenty-first century, the advent of
the geological phase classified by geologists and earth scientists as anthropocene and the attendant rapid extinction of species, destruction of habitats, ecological collapse
and the self-evident dependency of the human race on our biosphere, ecocide (both
‘natural’ and ‘manmade’) will become a primary driver of genocide. It is therefore
incumbent upon genocide scholars to attempt a paradigm shift in the greatest
traditions of science3 and to cohere a synthesis of the sociology of genocide and
environmental sociology into a theoretical apparatus that can illuminate the links
between, and uncover the drivers of, ecocide and genocidal social death.4 Following
a discussion of both the conceptual and legal nexus between ecocide and genocide,
we further contend that capitalist ‘land grabs’ carried out by extractive industries,
industrial farms and the like are, through the annexation of indigenous land and the
associated ‘externalities’, the principal vectors of ecologically induced genocide when
the genos in question is an indigenous people.
Ecocide was the name given to the widespread and long-term ecosystem destruction when toxic herbicides were used by the US during the Vietnam War. According to Arendt's biographer, Hannah Arendt in the early’ 1970s thought about ecocide... more
Ecocide was the name given to the widespread and long-term ecosystem destruction when toxic herbicides were used by the US during the Vietnam War. According to Arendt's biographer, Hannah Arendt in the early’ 1970s thought about ecocide as a new form of totalitarianism in the 21st Century.
This article seeks to contribute to an emerging “ecological turn” in genocide studies that places the material “extra-human environment” at the core of the biological and cultural integrity of social groups such as indigenous peoples and... more
This article seeks to contribute to an emerging “ecological turn” in genocide studies that places the material “extra-human environment” at the core of the biological and cultural integrity of social groups such as indigenous peoples and territorially dependent placed-based groups. Such social groups are often the victims of an array of ecological and culturally genocidal coercive practices which we will discuss herein. From land grabs in the service of economic development projects in Australia to, perversely, “conservation” and the “environmental” protection projects in Uganda and Kenya. For many indigenous and place-based peoples, their historical narrative and their practises, rituals and traditions are inextricably connected to their land base. In this article we explore the ecologically induced genocide suffered by such groups where environmental destruction results in conditions of life that fundamentally threaten a social group’s cultural and/or physical existence.
Ecocide as an international crime is urged by Polly Higgins as the fifth crime against peace. Will creating such an offence be effective to mobilise public opinion to prevent environmental damage. What lessons can we draw, fifty years... more
Ecocide as an international crime is urged by Polly Higgins as the fifth crime against peace. Will creating such an offence be effective to mobilise public opinion to prevent environmental damage. What lessons can we draw, fifty years after the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
This paper explores an international law of ecocide, which at its simplest is the mass damage and destruction of the environment resulting from human action. The renowned Indian jurist M.C. Mehta stated in the recently released Oslo... more
This paper explores an international law of ecocide, which at its simplest is the mass damage and destruction of the environment resulting from human action. The renowned Indian jurist M.C. Mehta stated in the recently released Oslo Principles on Global Climate Change Obligations the following guide for those engaged in legal processes: “When our legal systems become overly technical and convoluted they can stray too far from reality. Lawyers and the courts must see to it that their interpretations of the law adhere to reality as closely as possible. Otherwise legal systems become rudderless and stray, from that single trajectory, which must be towards justice, into technicalities.” While technical complexity and political questions have become increasingly understood as law, our current ecological crisis asks profound legal questions and for the re-emergence of legal reasoning, rather than technical translation. This paper will focus on the deeper, increasingly ignored, role of law to use reason and judgement in interpreting and guiding the major issues of our times and briefly justifies why a law of ecocide is a legal imperative.
There are four crimes against peace mentioned in the Rome Statute, 1998, which came into force in 2002. These crimes are Genocide, under Article 6; Crime against Humanity, under Article 7; and War Crime and Crime of Aggression, both under... more
There are four crimes against peace mentioned in the Rome Statute, 1998, which came into force in 2002. These crimes are Genocide, under Article 6; Crime against Humanity, under Article 7; and War Crime and Crime of Aggression, both under Article 8 of Part II. The fifth crime that should have ideally found mention in it is Ecocide. [...] Given the fact that almost entire India is badly affected by our constant assault on environment, resulting in massive destruction and a colossal loss to our ecosystem, it is high time India came up with an effective ecocide law.
Du 30 novembre au 11 décembre 2015, lors de la COP21 (Conférence des Parties de la Convention Cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques), les nations du monde entier concluront des accords sur le changement climatique.... more
Du 30 novembre au 11 décembre 2015, lors de la COP21 (Conférence des Parties de la Convention Cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques), les nations du monde entier concluront des accords sur le changement climatique. L'enjeu majeur des négociations sera d'atteindre un engagement suffisamment contraignant pour que soit assuré à l'humanité un espace vital pérenne. La prise en main de la situation climatique planétaire requiert une responsabilité morale et légale qui dépasse la simple «déclaration d'intentions». Il est nécessaire de construire un pacte social commun, une gouvernance mondiale et un cadre juridique international dont les piliers seraient la sauvegarde de la biodiversité et le respect de la dynamique des écosystèmes-indispensables pour garantir la sureté de la planète. De par le monde, les initiatives présentant des solutions systémiques à la dégradation du milieu naturel par une adaptation du droit international public et pénal se multiplient. Quelles que soient les approches (Droit de la Terre, Droits de la Nature, Droits des générations futures, Droit de l'Homme à un environnement sain, crime d'écocide), toutes s'inscrivent dans une perspective socio-écosystémique novatrice selon laquelle les êtres humains font partie intégrante de la nature et leurs actions ont des conséquences, non seulement sur leur environnement, mais aussi sur leur propre devenir. Cette convergence des initiatives est l'expression d'un mouvement historique en faveur d'une adaptation des normes internationales face à la destruction des conditions de vie sur Terre. La rencontre inédite d'acteurs d'envergure internationale : «Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature» (GARN) et «End Ecocide on Earth» (EEE), lors de la COP21, venus d'horizons du droit différents et ayant accompli d'importantes avancées sur leurs territoires respectifs sera le symbole de cette convergence et aura pour but de démontrer la complémentarité et la nécessité de leurs démarches. Ils s'associent dans le cadre d'un programme où seront mis en perspective et testés ces concepts juridiques:-la reconnaissance des Droits de la Nature dans le droit public à l'échelle internationale et locale-reposant sur La " Déclaration Universelle des Droits de la Nature " portée par GARN-qui reconnait aux écosystèmes des droits à l'existence et les devoirs incombant à l'humanité de respecter l'intégrité de leurs cycles vitaux.-la reconnaissance du Crime d'Ecocide par le droit pénal international-reposant sur la proposition d'amendements de EEE au Statut de la Cour Pénale Internationale-permettrait la mise en place d'un cadre juridique international susceptible de garantir la sureté de la planète. Ces deux initiatives dressent un paysage juridique susceptible de renforcer les engagements «climatiques» des Etats en proposant des normes permettant la sauvegarde de l'humanité et de la nature; ainsi que le jugement puis la sanction des crimes environnementaux. En mettant en lumière l'interdépendance consubstantielle entre les hommes et la nature, elles s'inscrivent dans un débat de fond plus global qui touche à la place de l'homme au sein de la nature afin de nourrir une transformation des consciences collective et des modèles de gouvernance mondiaux. DES DROITS POUR LA TERRE VERS DE NOUVELLES NORMES INTERNATIONALES
One year ago, the Stop Ecocide Foundation convened the so-called ‘Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide’ (IEP). Composed of 12 renowned international jurists and co-chaired by Dior Fall Sow and Philippe Sands, the... more
One year ago, the Stop Ecocide Foundation convened the so-called ‘Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide’ (IEP). Composed of 12 renowned international jurists and co-chaired by Dior Fall Sow and Philippe Sands, the panel published a definition of ecocide, which was identified as “unlawful or wanton acts committed with the knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts.” This draft definition immediately kicked off one of the liveliest public debates about an international law issue in recent years (see the Defining Ecocide Symposium on this blog). Last September, the discussion revived, when the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), the Graduate Institute’s Department of International Law, and ESIL’s interest group on human rights law hosted a panel discussion titled ‘Ecocide – Legal Revolution or Symbolism?’ The IEP’s co-chair Philippe Sands, Paola Gaeta, Jorge Viñuales, and Kai Ambos all offered highly insightful views on the central question whether the proposed definition of ecocide is just a symbolic act or a legal revolution (or something in between)? In this post, we would like to offer some reflections on this ongoing discussion.
The paper offers a summary of the issues surrounding the proposal to adopt a new international crime of ecocide within the framework of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
A political economy of genocide in Australia, which attempts to illustrate the manner in which genocidal structuring dynamics throughout Australia's history have always been conditioned by the imperatives of capital accumulation and the... more
A political economy of genocide in Australia, which attempts to illustrate the manner in which genocidal structuring dynamics throughout Australia's history have always been conditioned by the imperatives of capital accumulation and the global chain of capitalist production and trade
Depuis des siècles, le modèle capitaliste repose sur la surexploi-tation du monde vivant réduit à un simple stock de « ressources naturelles » qu'il nous faut gérer avec précaution. Aujourd'hui, la crise climatique met en lumière notre... more
Depuis des siècles, le modèle capitaliste repose sur la surexploi-tation du monde vivant réduit à un simple stock de « ressources naturelles » qu'il nous faut gérer avec précaution. Aujourd'hui, la crise climatique met en lumière notre fragilité et remet en question les fondements philosophiques de nos modes de vie qui placent les profits privés au-dessus du bien commun. Alors que nos représentants politiques ne proposent que des ajuste-ments techniques superficiels, c'est bien un changement d'ordre civilisationnel qui s'impose à travers un dialogue interculturel et la redéfinition de la dynamique entre nature et humanité. Les droits de la Terre revendiquent la valeur intrinsèque des écosystèmes et notre devoir de respecter l'intégrité de leurs cycles vitaux. Entre autres initiatives, la condamnation du crime d'écocide par le droit pénal international permettrait de res-treindre les activités nocives des multinationales, afin de pro-téger le Système-Terre ainsi que les humains des générations actuelles et futures. La Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), End Eco-cide on Earth (EEE), NatureRights et ATTAC s'allient aujourd'hui autour du troisième tribunal international des droits de la Nature qui se tiendra à Paris, conjointement à la COP21. Des juristes et des personnalités de l'altermondialisme y statueront sur des cas emblématiques tels que le réchauffement clima-tique, la fracturation hydraulique ou les OGMs en se basant sur les cadres juridiques émergeants du « Droit de la Terre ». De tels instruments juridiques répondent à notre détresse collective et s'inscrivent dans la multiplication des luttes citoyennes pour la construction d'un monde soutenable et solidaire.
The notion of ecocide, which literally refers to the destruction of an inhabited space, becomes increasingly relevant in the debate on environmental law, and in particular on the legal definition of crime against nature. We want to show... more
The notion of ecocide, which literally refers to the destruction of an inhabited space, becomes increasingly relevant in the debate on environmental law, and in particular on the legal definition of crime against nature. We want to show in this article that the idea of ecocide is older than the word : since the beginning of the 19th century, in the West, many (scientists, philosophers, naturalists, essay writers, etc.) have worried about the growth of the environmental damages, considering them as transgressions, and even as crimes committed against God's creation or, in a more secular spirit, against a nature which should have remained untouched, for the good of mankind. We will especially insist on the fear of the punishment that such infringements provoke. Result of a divine or an immanent justice, this punishment would result in the collapse of civilisation.
The article is focused on the environmental consequences of the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine and the legality of characterizing them as ecocide. The discussion about ecocide started as a reaction to the environmental... more
The article is focused on the environmental consequences of the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine and the legality of characterizing them as ecocide. The discussion about ecocide started as a reaction to the environmental transformation during the Vietnam War (1966-1971). It has shown the strong connection between the war and the crimes against the natural ecosystems and human environment that may have a genocidal effect on certain nations, ethnic or religious groups, etc. Though the legal status of the crime of ecocide is still under the discussion at the international level, the very term 'ecocide' moved far beyond jurisprudence and became widespread in media, public opinion, and the different forms of activism. This is a departure point for informing about and estimating the destructive environmental consequences of the Russian aggression in Ukraine at both national and international levels.
Is it possible to develop a definition of ecocide that enforces long-overdue accountability for widespread environmental harm, while also prioritizing international law’s role for combatting environmental racism and local-level... more
Is it possible to develop a definition of ecocide that enforces long-overdue accountability for widespread environmental harm, while also prioritizing international law’s role for combatting environmental racism and local-level environmental injustice?
In November 2020, the Stop Ecocide Foundation announced that they had convened an expert panel to draft a definition of ecocide. The panel is co-led by barrister and professor Philippe Sands QC, and former UN international prosecutor Dior Fall Sow. The Stop Ecocide Foundation’s website explains that ecocide is “mass damage and destruction of ecosystems—harm to nature which is widespread, severe or systematic”, language that could form a starting point for an official definition. The formation of this panel is a significant international justice development, with a few key caveats to bear in mind. First, a legal definition of ecocide must explicitly prioritize environmental racism and local-level environmental injustice. Second, the expert panel must account for how environmental harms, and environmental impacts on human health, can already be recognized within existing international criminal law.
