Developing ecocide law.
Imagine a world where our Earth's vital ecosystems are legally protected from the severest harms.
This is the vision behind ecocide law: providing an enforceable framework to deter destructive practices, safeguarding the natural world and all our futures.
We develop recognition of ecocide as a serious crime, working at diplomatic level and across all sectors of civil society to share knowledge and inspire positive legislative change.
6th March 2025
Türkiye: MPs Advance Ecocide Law
Turkiye’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has supported a citizen-led petition to criminalise ecocide nationally. The petition was presented to parliament on 28 November 2023, after accumulating close to 29,000 wet signatures.
Read about other recent developments:
Pope Francis - "This is a fifth category of crimes against peace, which should be recognised."
Princess Esmeralda of Belgium - “It is time to make ecocide a crime against humanity."
Antonio Guterres - It is "highly desirable" to include ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court.
Paul McCartney - "The idea is clearly catching on... and not before time if we are to prevent further devastation of the planet."
Tarja Halonen - "Stopping Ecocide through international criminal law is essential".
Cara Delevingne - "Mass damage and destruction of nature is called Ecocide and it should be an international crime, just like genocide."
Professor Philippe Sands KC - "I’m absolutely convinced that this crime of ecocide will be adopted. The only issue is not whether, but when and in what form.”
Dr Jane Goodall - “The concept of Ecocide is long overdue. It could lead to an important change in the way people perceive – and respond to – the current environmental crisis.”
Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - “recognition of environmental crimes, including the crime of ecocide … would strengthen accountability for environmental harms”
Pope Francis - "This is a fifth category of crimes against peace, which should be recognised." Princess Esmeralda of Belgium - “It is time to make ecocide a crime against humanity." Antonio Guterres - It is "highly desirable" to include ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court. Paul McCartney - "The idea is clearly catching on... and not before time if we are to prevent further devastation of the planet." Tarja Halonen - "Stopping Ecocide through international criminal law is essential". Cara Delevingne - "Mass damage and destruction of nature is called Ecocide and it should be an international crime, just like genocide." Professor Philippe Sands KC - "I’m absolutely convinced that this crime of ecocide will be adopted. The only issue is not whether, but when and in what form.” Dr Jane Goodall - “The concept of Ecocide is long overdue. It could lead to an important change in the way people perceive – and respond to – the current environmental crisis.” Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - “recognition of environmental crimes, including the crime of ecocide … would strengthen accountability for environmental harms”
