TRANSITION TO AGROECOLOGY —WHAT ROLE DOES ECOCIDE LAW PLAY?
Oxford Real Farming Conference
January 10th, 14:00 - 15:30 GMT
Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, Speakers’ Hall
Watching the devastation wrought on our food systems and landscapes can feel overwhelming.
How can we push for meaningful change on a global scale? One promising solution gaining momentum is ecocide as an international criminal law. In September 2024, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa, formally proposed an ecocide amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court signalling a historic step toward holding environmental destruction accountable.
The implementation of ecocide law could transform global food production by deterring harmful practices and creating a fairer playing field for those who farm sustainably and in harmony with nature. Join our panel to explore how this groundbreaking law might drive a powerful shift toward regenerative farming, safeguarding the future of our food and ecosystems for generations to come.
Speakers: Jojo Mehta, Martin Lines, Rob Percival
Chair: Sarah Langford
Recent developments and the way forward for criminalizing ecocide
11:00 - 15:00, Monday 16th December 2024
at Carlos III University, Getafe Campus SALA 14.0.11
This Workshop, hosted jointly by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and Stop Ecocide International, will explore recent events internationally and nationally concerning ecocide legislation. It has two main components.
One focuses on exploring developments nationally regarding ecocide legislation, specifically the opportunity of legislating ecocide as an autonomous crime in Spain in the transposition of the EU Directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law passed in spring 2024.
The other focuses on key recent developments internationally, namely the recent tabling of a proposal by Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa to have ecocide adopted as the ‘fifth ICC Statute crime’ as well as the process launched by the ICC Office of the Prosecutor concerning the development of a policy paper on environmental crimes.
The workshop seeks to understand the rationale, feasibility and possible consequences of these developments, in this sense building on the workshop conducted in 2023, also hosted jointly by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and Stop Ecocide International, “Prosecuting Ecocide: Prospects for enforcement nationally and internationally”.
The main intention of the present workshop is to provide a forum for discussing some key developments occurring since then, specifically the study of the possible way forward for ecocide legislation in Spain (session will be conducted in Spanish) and the ICC amendment proposal tabled by a group Pacific island states as well as the process surrounding the ICC’s development of a Policy Paper on environmental crimes (session will be conducted in English) and, with a view to enrich the debate about the best ways forward achieving more solid environmental crimes accountability, including for ecocide.
These themes surrounding ecocide legislation nationally and proposals for including ecocide in ICC jurisdiction are gaining significant traction among academics, policy-makers, legal practitioners and civil society in recent years. Important questions relating to the legal definition of ecocide, the feasibility of norms-adoption and enforcement remain subject to debate and a level of uncertainty – the workshop seeks to add to this conversation.
The workshop will be in hybrid format, live-streamed and recorded
Event hosted by: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid & Stop Ecocide International
Academic coordinator: Thomas Obel Hansen
Stop Ecocide International coordinators: Maite Mompó & Rodrigo Lledó
Choirs for Ecocide Law: Participate in World Choral Day
IFCM World Choral Day and Choirs for Ecocide Law are working together to put World Choral Day 2024 into the context of environmental sustainability. Choirs for Ecocide Law is an artistic choral project, whose main purpose is to spread awareness about the need to make large-scale environmental destruction (ecocide) an international crime.
Choirs for Ecocide Law provides a sixty minute concert program called “Let us change the rules!”, which is ready to be rehearsed and performed by any choir in the world – for free.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN WORLD CHORAL DAY 2024
We suggest that in addition to reading the World Choral Day Proclamation and singing the World Choral Anthem on the day, choirs and ensembles around the world could include one or several of the following options:
Learn the songs Hope and or Ask Not from the Choirs for Ecocide Law concert repertoire.
Watch / show the award-winning film Me-We, about the Helsinki Choirs for Ecocide Law Concert by Carl Eneroth.
Paticipate in a workshop, led by the Choirs for Ecocide Law artistic team, to learn about free concert project opportunities and about the positive impact of ecocide law.
Read on for more details about these options.
Option 1: Learn 1-2 Songs
Although the Choirs for Ecocide Law project normally requires the whole 15 songs to be performed, for this purpose, you have the possibility of choosing one or two of the following songs:
HOPE by Merzi Rajala
ASK NOT by Peder Karlsson
You can access the free materials (sheet music, audio tracks) by visiting the Choirs for Ecocide Law webpage. You will also get free access to all songs, and Choir Mate application, to be used in the project. For registration, use your choir name and mention World Choral Day 2024.
Option 2: Me-We Movie Night
You could organise a “movie-night”. This can be an event in it self, showing the documentary for the public or it could happen, for example, in connection to your World Choral Day concert. If you like, you could perform the songs Hope and / or Ask Not during the movie session.
MeWe - Trailer: https://youtu.be/VwAmresbEHQ
MeWe - Film (30 min): https://youtu.be/He0NCuh-a5c
Option 3: Participate in a Choirs for Ecocide Law Workshop
Organize a session connected to your World Choral Day event where you can also enable your choir / the public to participate in a virtual workshop to learn about:
The Choirs for Ecocide Law project and purpose
Why ecocide law would bring about powerful and positive change
The songs of the project, and the multiple and diverse ways in which the repertoire can be performed
Sign in for either of these similar content workshops on World Choral Day (8AM CET or 8PM CET):
Link to register (optional): https://bit.ly/IFCMcafeDec2024-East (8AM CET)
Zoom link to join the first session directly: https://zoom.us/j/92842894337?pwd=twmVd1C65cWpRfQX99pncatE1jHNrg.1
(Meeting ID: 928 4289 4337, Passcode: 791194)
Link to register (optional): https://bit.ly/IFCMcafeDec2024-West (8PM CET)
Zoom link to join the second session directly: https://zoom.us/j/94619286887?pwd=vcAaoEmbZ8FFdS5EmyqKQCi0tTa6za.1
(Meeting ID: 946 1928 6887, Passcode: 869645)
[ES] Cambiando el paradigma mundial de protección de la naturaleza mediante la ley internacional del Ecocidio
4 de diciembre, 17:30, Auditorio del CC José Saramago
Entrada libre hasta completar aforo
📢 El próximo miércoles 4 de diciembre estaré en Albacete compartiendo mi visión de cómo una ley internacional puede ser una herramienta imprescindible para cambiar el paradigma mundial de protección de la naturaleza.
🌎 La Tierra es el planeta en el que viajamos por el universo y no tenemos otro hogar.
👉 La destrucción masiva de la naturaleza provocada por la actividad humana está amenazando las bases de la vida planetaria. Precisamente, la palabra ecocidio significa «matar la casa» y eso es lo que está sucediendo.
🗣 Es el momento de cambiar el modo en que nos relacionamos con el resto de vida que nos rodea. La creación de una ley penal internacional para proteger a la Tierra es una de las herramientas más poderosas con que contamos para llegar a tener una relación de armonía con el planeta que nos alberga.
👥 Cientos de miles de personas, de diferentes sectores de la sociedad (desde juristas y diplomáticos a ONGs, empresas, comunidades de fe, jóvenes…) están pidiendo que el ecocidio se convierta en el quinto crimen bajo la jurisdicción de la Corte Penal Internacional. El momento del cambio ha llegado. ¡Ven a saber cómo lo estamos consiguiendo!
A Fifth Crime of Ecocide: Opening Considerations
OFFICIAL SIDE EVENT, 23rd Session of the Assembly of States Parties
to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:
A Fifth Crime of Ecocide: Opening Considerations
In-person & live-streamed, Tues 3rd December 2024, 13:15 - 14:45 (CET)
Legal recognition of ‘ecocide’ continues to advance, with national crimes proposed around the world; an EU directive requiring member states to criminalise “conduct comparable to ecocide”; and increasing acknowledgement that severe environmental harm should stand among “the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole”. Environmental crime plays a central and under-acknowledged role in both armed conflict and the climate crisis, affecting development, peace and security and human rights.
In the the context of the ICC’s Working Group on Amendments, on the 9th September 2024, Vanuatu, with co-sponsorship from Fiji and Samoa, tabled a proposal to include an independent crime of ecocide in the Rome Statute. This has now also been supported by the Democratic Republic of Congo.
While too soon for such an amendment to be explicitly considered at the ASP this year, this official side event will set out some useful considerations of which States Parties will appreciate being aware, as they begin to engage with this important subject in the coming months and beyond. Topics covered by the distinguished panellists will include: overall rationale and timing; human rights implications; relationship with parallel legal initiatives; civil society support; youth perspective from the global South; and definitional considerations.
Moderated by: Madam Nazhat Shameem Khan, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
Speakers:
H.E. Volker Türk - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Professor Philippe Sands KC - Lawyer, 11 King's Bench Walk; Professor of Laws, Director of the Centre on International Courts and Tribunals, University College London.
Professor Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh - Associate Professor of Sustainability Law, Amsterdam Law School
Sandrine Dixson-Declève - Co-President, Club of Rome
Debbie Buyaki - Co-Lead, Youth for Ecocide Law
Professor Darryl Robinson - Queen's University Faculty of Law (Canada)
Hosted by: Republic of Vanuatu, Independent State of Samoa, Republic of Fiji, Democratic Republic of Congo
Language: English, with interpretation in Arabic, French, Spanish
In association with partners: Stop Ecocide International, Stop Ecocide Foundation, UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe, Climate Counsel
COP29 Debrief: Youth-Led Environmental Justice Solutions
Thursday 28th November, 16:00 GMT / 17:00 CET
The global youth movement is intensifying its efforts to have ecocide recognized as an international crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Currently, 37 countries are deliberating ecocide legislation at various government levels, and in 2023, specific bills have been introduced or advanced in Belgium, the Netherlands, Scotland, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Italy, and Spain (Catalunya). By 2024, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa have formally proposed ecocide as a crime under the ICC, advocating for its recognition alongside genocide and war crimes.
Simultaneously, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin hearings in December for its much-anticipated Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, following a youth-led initiative. Together, these efforts underscore the critical role of youth as advocates and leaders in global environmental justice, yet youth voices remain underrepresented in formal COP decision-making processes. This debrief will spotlight young leaders worldwide and their solutions for building a sustainable, just future.
This virtual post-COP29 webinar will:
Highlight youth-led advocacy and COP29 outcomes: Provide an in-depth look at youth contributions at COP29, the lack thereof, and discuss next steps in advancing ecocide as an international crime.
Showcase innovative climate and nature solutions from youth advocates: Present and discuss youth-led, ecocentric approaches to pressing global environmental issues, from climate resilience to biodiversity conservation, highlighting solutions that prioritise ecosystem health.
Strengthen youth climate leadership and policy engagement: Identify actionable strategies for empowering young people to influence policy and drive activism in their communities and countries, especially around complex environmental challenges. Highlight successful youth-led initiatives that have resulted in tangible policy or community impact.
Speakers:
Shafiqur Rahman - Y4EL Africa Core Team Member
Joyce Mendez - UN Secretary-General's Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change
Paulina Slawek - Campaigner, World’s Youth 4 Climate Justice
Ayadi Mishra - YOUNGO ACE Communication Lead, UN Decade on Restoration Advisor
Quetza Ramirez - Facilitator, Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature Youth Hub
Reagan Eriga - Stop Ecocide International Diplomatic Liaison, Uganda
Invitation to the COP29 Ambition Acceleration Leaders Forum
Stop Ecocide International Co-Founder and CEO Jojo Mehta will have a short speaking slot at this private event.
Toward an Africa-Wide Framework for Ecocide: Addressing the Most Severe Environmental Crimes
Toward an Africa-Wide Framework for Ecocide: Addressing the Most Severe Environmental Crimes
Time: 1200 GMT/ 1200 Nigeria / 1300 South Africa / 1400 Kenya
The African continent faces a myriad of environmental challenges, from deforestation and habitat destruction to pollution and climate change impacts. Despite numerous efforts to mitigate these issues, environmental crimes continue to pose significant threats to biodiversity, ecosystems, and human well-being. In response to this pressing issue, the concept of ecocide law has gained traction globally as a potential tool for holding individuals and corporations accountable for acts of environmental destruction. This webinar aims to explore the role of ecocide law in addressing environmental crime specifically within the African context. Our esteemed panel of experts will offer invaluable insights, share case studies, and propose actionable strategies to confront environmental degradation effectively.
COP16 - Virtual - Engaging Ecocide Law as a mechanism for Climate Ambition
Biodiversity Law and Governance Day (BLGD) 2024 at CBD COP16 in Cali
Engaging Ecocide Law as a mechanism for Climate Ambition
Virtual panel: 26 October, 11:00 – 12:15 COT
By focusing on its potential to mitigate environmental destruction and engage cross-sector collaboration, an international ecocide law would serve as a tool for advancing climate ambition. How would this mechanism work in practice?
Participants will examine legal barriers, governance synergies, and strategies to strengthen capacity in implementing ecocide law, while also exploring its potential to drive stronger planning regulations and climate finance frameworks within and across sectors.
COP16 - BlueZone - Protecting nature through Ecocide Law: an interfaith conversation
Organised by Stop Ecocide International and World Council of Churches
10:45 at the Faith Pavilion
In 2022, Faith Voices for Ecocide Law, a volume of remarkable essays by faith leaders and indigenous wisdom keepers was published. The contributors examined the role of the natural world within their faith tradition and the necessary response to the huge damage humanity is causing. In September 2024, the Republic of Vanuatu. Fiji and Samoa submitted a proposal for a new international crime of ecocide for consideration by the members of the International Criminal Court, bringing closer the prospect of a powerful and effective deterrent to those behind the worst acts of environmental destruction. This event will consider how ecocide law can protect the natural world and explore how the world’s faiths can come together to help make this a reality.
Speakers:
Athena Peralta, World Council of Churches
Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, Stop Ecocide International
Kamran Shazad, Director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Gopal Patel, Co-Founder and Director, Bhumi Global, Co-Chair of the UN Multi-falth Advisory Council and UN Decade Action Plan Challenge lead for Faith groups
Flore Ghetti, Programme Coordinator at the SGI Office for UN Affairs.
COP16 - In the Andean-Amazon Putumayo Documentary Screening
Organised by Stop Ecocide International and OPIAC
15:00 - 17:00 at Maloca OPIAC GZ
The documentary ‘In the Andean Amazonian Putumayo: Copper or Life’ (40') will be screened, followed by a talk by the speakers and a participatory open dialogue.
The Andean Amazonian Putumayo, one of South America's greatest natural treasures, is under threat if its mountains are opened up for intensive copper mining. Water from its mountains flows into the Amazonian watershed and feeds the region's great rivers across political boundaries.
The event will discuss the implications that mining activity would have on the ecosystem itself and on the entire Amazon basin, including the impact on the indigenous and non-indigenous populations that protect and care for the territory, whose livelihoods depend on this harmonious relationship with their surroundings. It will also address the issue of how sustainable management of this strategic Andes Amazon corridor in southern Colombia is possible, Finally, there will be a discussion on how an international crime of ecocide would serve to prevent serious damage to ecosystems, which could be irreparable, as is the case presented in the documentary.
Speakers:
Tania Liseth Mojomboy: Governor of the resguardo of the Inga people of Villa Catalina - Department of Putumayo.
Noemí Gualinga: Community leader, healer and activist of the Kichwa people of Sarayaku, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. She has held various leadership positions in the areas of health and education. She was President of the Sarayaku Women's Association and is a member of the Collective of Amazonian Women Defenders of the Forest.
Rodrigo Lledó: Lawyer, Director of Stop Ecocide for the Americas and vice-president of Human Rights Without Borders (DHSF). Former director of the Baltasar Garzón International Foundation and member of the Panel of Independent Experts for the Legal Definition of Ecocide.
Mario Camilo Barrera: Botanical biologist, artist and environmental leader. Director of the Kindicocha Foundation, Director of the Botanical Garden of Alto Putumayo, manager of Colibrí Amarillo essences of Andean-Amazonian orchids. and co-founder of the Dantakunapa Nature Reserve.
Short video intervention by Pau Soler, director of the documentary ‘In the Andean Amazonian Putumayo: Copper or life’.
Moderator: Patricia Suárez Torres, indigenous Murui of the Amazon, Technical Secretary of the Commission for the Protection of Peoples in Isolation, and Advisor to OPIAC. Defender of human rights and territorial rights. Professional in Social Work, Master in Sustainable Life Systems and Specialist in International Humanitarian Law.
Co-organisers: Stop Ecocide International, Kindicocha Foundation and OPIAC (National Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon).
COP16 - BlueZone - Laudato Si’ and Al-Mizan: Christian and Islamic perspectives on the protection of nature through ecocide law
Organised by Stop Ecocide International
14:00 at the Faith Pavilion
Both Laudato Si’ and Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth establish a comprehensive framework for ecological and moral responsibility, urging collective action for the protection of our planet and offering ideas and pledges for resolving the triple planetary crisis and, especially, the destruction of nature.
A dialogue between the two faiths about profound shared values has the potential to shift global consciousness and foster a powerful protection for the Earth. Ecocide Law would provide the necessary legal support for the task of transforming humanity’s relationship with nature from harm to harmony.
Speakers
Alirío Cáceres, permanent deacon of the archdiocese of Bogota and a member of Plataforma de Ecoespiritualidad, representing Laudato Si’ movement
Kamran Shezad, Director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology & Environmental Sciences and part of the drafting team of Al-Mizan charter
Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, Stop Ecocide International
Moderator: Athena Peralta, World Council of Churches
COP16 - official side event: “Ecocide Bills in Latin America”
COP16 official side event:
Ecocide: Bills in Latin America
The event will be in Spanish and will have simultaneous online translation into English. There will be simultaneous online broadcasting and recording of the event. A Zoom registration link will be available on this page in the coming weeks.
Date and time : October 23, time to be determined
Location : Green Zone
In this discussion, laws and draft laws that exist in Latin America will be discussed. Experts will explain how the legislative process has been in their respective countries, what opportunities and obstacles they have faced and, where appropriate, the adjustments that have been introduced at the domestic level to the definition proposed at the international level.
Speakers will be from Argentina, which was a pioneer in drafting a bill adapting the international definition to Argentinian law; from Brazil, which was the first Latin American country to present a bill in Congress; from Peru, where three different bills have recently been presented to incorporate ecocide into its penal code; from Colombia, which has had an established crime of ecocide in its domestic legislation for years, but with a definition that is completely different from the international proposal and which is worded in a way that has caused it to receive no practical application; from Chile, which last year approved a law on economic and environmental crimes that incorporates cases comparable to ecocide.
Prior registration is not required, but we appreciate confirmation of attendance.
Note: Closer to the event date, you will be sent an email with the access link to the Zoom session.
Speakers:
Miguel Ángel Asturias - Argentina. Doctor in Criminal Law and Social Sciences. Professor of Criminal Law and Environmental Crime at the University of Belgrano.
Paulo Busse - Brazil. Criminal, environmental and human rights lawyer. Senior lawyer at Climate Counsel and one of the experts at the Ecocide Advice Centre. Founding member of LexCollective.
Ruth Luque - Peru. Member of Parliament and lawyer. Current president of the Commission on Andean, Amazonian and Afro-Peruvian Peoples, Environment and Ecology for the period 2023-2024 in the Peruvian Parliament.
Ana María Gómez - Colombia. Master in International Law and lawyer specializing in intercultural studies. Researcher at the International Center for Transitional Justice, within the framework of the Peace Agreement.
María Nora González - Chile . Lawyer, environmental specialist. Professor at the Legal Clinic of the University of Chile.
Moderator:
Rodrigo Lledó. Lawyer, Director of Stop Ecocide for the Americas and Vice President of Human Rights Without Borders (DHSF). Former director of the Baltasar Garzón International Foundation and member of the Panel of Independent Experts for the Legal Definition of Ecocide.
Organised by: Stop Ecocidio.
COP16 - Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth (15' short & Debate)
Organised by Stop Ecocide International, Planète Amazone. Leopold III Fund and OPIAC (National Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon).
13:-00 - 15:00 at Maloca OPIAC GZ
There will be a 15-minute screening of the film ‘Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth’, followed by a discussion on the issue of the demarcation of indigenous territories in the Amazon and the creation of the international crime of ecocide as two important tools to protect indigenous peoples and their territories. In addition, how both tools affect uncontacted and isolated indigenous peoples, who occupy about 18% of the Amazon and are extremely vulnerable, will be discussed.
The demarcation of indigenous territories is directly related to indigenous peoples' rights and environmental justice, while the criminalisation of ecocide at the international level will help protect both the Amazon and the peoples who inhabit it.
Speakers:
Esmeralda de Bélgica: President of the Leopoldo III Fund. Journalist, writer and activist for the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples. Co-director of the film ‘Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth’.
Cacique Ninawa: Chief of the Huni Kui people of Acre (Brazil). Healer, activist for the rights of indigenous peoples and president of the Federation of the Huni Kui or ‘Kaxinawa’. Member of the Alliance of the Guardians of Mother Nature.
Oswaldo Muca Castizo: General Coordinator and legal representative of OPIAC (National Organisation of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon).
Maite Mompó: Director of Stop Ecocide International in Spanish. Law graduate, specialised in ecological ethics, sustainability and environmental education, as well as an activist for human rights, peace and the environment.
Brief video intervention by Gert Bruch, co-director of the film ‘Amazonia, the Heart of Mother Earth’.
Moderator:
Constanza Soler: Coordinator of Stop Ecocide International for the Americas. Journalist, social communicator and specialist in environmental policy design and management.
COP16 - The Race for Resources: How business and law can support a just and safe energy transition
Organised by Ecosia and Stop Ecocide International
12:00 at the Blue Zone, Business & Finance Hub
The event will discuss the increasing demand for raw minerals needed for the energy transition and the urgent need to protect critical ecosystems. It will also explore how ecocide law could be useful in this context to create a legal guardrail for safe practice.
A conversation with:
- Sophie Dembinski (Moderator) Head of Public Policy and UK Country Manager, Ecosia UK
- Olivia Lazard, fellow at Carnegie Europe and the University of Exeter
- Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO, Stop Ecocide International
COP16 - Ecocide law and the rights of nature: protecting biodiversity at the COP16
22nd October, 9 - 10:30 am
Avenida Colombia #9 - 80 (Movilizatorio), Green Zone
COP16 - Blindspots of the energy transition: reconciling the need for critical raw materials and nature
COP16 Side Event
Monday 21st October at 18:00, Seaflower - Contact Group 3 meeting room, CEVP Ground floor
Industrial and energy related transitions in response to climate change require exponential amounts of critical raw materials. Quality deposits and potential resources are found in critical marine and terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity hotspots, indigenous territories and climate vulnerable areas. This implies that climate targets partially conflict with biodiversity and nature-based targets. Identifying and reconciling tensions where they occur is a matter of planetary security, which itself needs to be squared with increasing security dilemmas within international systems that are also driving up material demands.
Olivia Lazard, affiliated with the University of Exeter and Carnegie Europe will convene a panel to talk about the need to establish no go mining zones, and to reconcile nature and climate-based targets. The panel will include Earth Insight, Stop Ecocide and policy makers.
Speakers:
- Olivia Lazard, fellow at Carnegie Europe and the University of Exeter (not Edinburgh)
- Emily Robinson, PhD candidate at the University of Exeter
- Karla Cervantes Barron, Senior Research Associate at the Resource Efficiency Collective at the University of Cambridge
- Timer Manurung, Executive Director of Auriga Nusantara.
- Juan Pablo Orsonio, Earth Insight, Engagement Director,
- John Lindberg, Policy & Public Affairs Lead, ICMM
- Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO, Stop Ecocide International
- Grégoire Dubois, Heabd of the biodiversity hub at the EU’s Joint Research Center (JRC)
COP16 - official side event: “Ecocide law as enforceable protection for biodiversity: how business and civil society can support state leadership”
COP-16 Official Side Event
Monday, 21st October at 13:20 (local time)
Malpelo - Contact Group 1 meeting room, Plaza One (Blue Zone)
A growing number of states are actively engaging in discussions and the adoption of criminal laws aimed at protecting nature from the most severe harms. These legislative measures are being considered in response to the increasing recognition of the urgent need to safeguard the environment. Such laws are seen as essential in preventing ecological degradation and ensuring the health and sustainability of natural ecosystems.
Non-state actors, including businesses, non-governmental organizations, and community groups, have a crucial role to play in this process. By driving and supporting this 'guardrail' legal framework, they can help facilitate a transition that is both safe and just. This involves promoting nature-safe investments and fostering innovation that does not harm the environment. These actors can also advocate for and implement practices that align with the new legal standards, thereby contributing to broader environmental protection efforts.
Policymakers and legal experts are deeply engaged in examining the implications of these legislative developments. They are analyzing how new laws can be effectively integrated into existing legal systems and what impacts they might have on various sectors. Their discussions often result in comprehensive roadmaps that guide the private sector on how to engage with and support these legal initiatives. This includes recommendations for collaboration with civil society organizations, which can enhance the effectiveness and reach of environmental protection measures.
The collective efforts of state and non-state actors, guided by informed policy and legal analysis, are crucial for the successful implementation of laws that protect nature. This panel of policymakers and legal experts discuss the implications of these legislative developments and offer a roadmap for private sector engagement and collaboration with civil society.
Co-hosted by Stop Ecocide Foundation & Republic of Vanuatu
Panelists:
State Representative of the Republic of Vanuatu
European Union Representative - (Marie Toussaint TBC)
Jojo Mehta, Stop Ecocide International
Sophie Dembinski, Head of Public Policy and UK Country Manager, Ecosia UK (Business Representative)
Aresio Valiente López (Panama), Professor of the University of Panama, Executive Director of the Popular Legal Assistance Center, President of the National Union of Indigenous Lawyers of Panama, Vice President of the Institute of Agrarian, Environmental and Indigenous Law and member of the legal team of the General Guna Congress, autonomous government of the Guna people.
COP16 - official side event: “The crime of ecocide after the peace agreements in Colombia"
COP16 official side event:
The crime of ecocide post-peace agreements in Colombia
This event will be held in Spanish and in person, and will be broadcast on social media.
Date and time : October 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (Colombia)
8 a.m. Mexico / 9 a.m. Ecuador, Panama / 10 a.m. Venezuela / 11 a.m. Argentina, Brazil / 4 p.m. United Kingdom / 4 p.m. Continental Europe
Location: Green Zone.
The legal framework for the protection of nature in Colombia will be discussed following the Peace Agreements, in particular the ecocide in Article 333 of the Penal Code, has been wrongly used to persecute small farmers, distorting the spirit and meaning of the crime of ecocide at an international level.
The event is related to goals 1, 7, 11, 15 and 22 of the Kunming-Montreal Framework. Understanding ecocide as an international crime.
Prior registration is not required, but we appreciate confirmation of attendance:
Speakers:
Belkis Izquierdo - Aty Seikuinduwa , Judge of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, Arhuaca indigenous woman. A lawyer with a Master's Degree in Public Administration, she has dedicated herself to strengthening the rights of indigenous peoples and ethnic communities.
Danna Ramírez , a lawyer from the Universidad del Rosario, with a postgraduate degree in Constitutional Law from the Universidad Javeriana, is the technical coordinator of the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) office in Colombia. She was an advisor to the technical secretariat of the Commission for Monitoring, Promotion and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Peace Agreement of 2016.
Luis Antonio González Escobar , PhD in Environmental Sciences. University professor at the Universidad del Valle, the Universidad Santiago de Cali and the Universidad Centro Panamericano de Estudios Superiores. Recognized for designing the first university programs in Environmental Education in Latin America.
Jessica A. Martinez, Lawyer. Master in Nature Rights, co-founder of the Alliance for the Rights of Nature Colombia and member of Colombia without Ecocide.
Moderator:
Isis Álvarez , Biologist, MSc. Natural Resources and Environment Management, ecofeminist, has worked with various local and international NGOs; has been part of the UN civil society mechanism through co-facilitation of the UNEP Major Group of Women (2013-2019) & SDGs (2014-2016). Member of Colombia without ecocide.
Organised by: Colombia Without Ecocide Group - Bogotá.
The Power of Ecocide Law: In conversation with Jojo Mehta & Pertti Salolainen
Arctic Circle Assembly 2024 Side Event
Organised by Stop Ecocide International and WWF Finland
Join Finland’s Former Deputy Prime Minister, and Founder of WWF Finland, Pertti Salolainen CBE, in conversation with the inspiring leader of the fastest growing legal movement on the planet, Jojo Mehta, as they discuss the rapid global development of ecocide law, and the power of such an international law to protect the Arctic’s crucial ecosystems. How close are we to having an internationally recognised crime of ecocide? How would such an international law function?
This event will offer an in-depth discussion of the implications and benefits of legislating for ecocide and provide an overview of the ecocide law initiative and the accelerating legislative progress to date, including in the EU. It will provide insights on how legal recognition of ecocide could help protect biodiversity, tackle the climate crisis and support a safe and just transition.
Speakers:
Pertti Salolainen CBE, Founder of WWF Finland, Former Member of Finnish Parliament
Jojo Mehta, CEO and Co-Founder of Stop Ecocide International
Arctic Law & Policy: The Role of Ecocide Law in Driving Transformational Change
Arctic Circle Assembly 2024 Side Event
Organized by Stop Ecocide International and Stöðvum vistmorð
Location: Norðurljós, Harpa Second Level
How can we achieve a paradigm shift to protect the delicate and unique ecosystems of the Arctic? Scientists agree on their value and share concern for their wellbeing, but how can we protect them? In addition to other challenges, the Arctic spans multiple national jurisdictions.
An international law on ecocide holds the promise to make a real difference, going beyond the recent EU directive that will criminalise mass environmental destruction in the EU.
This event brings together expertise from a wide array of perspectives – science, international law, policy-making, finance - to explore how an international law on mass environmental destruction - ecocide - can be leveraged to achieve transformational change to protect the Arctic.
Speakers:
Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Professor Emerita of Earth and Sustainability Sciences, University of Iceland
Kate Mackintosh, Executive Director, UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe, USA & Netherlands
Andrés Ingi Jónsson, Member of Icelandic Parliament
Tinna Hallgrímsdóttir, Climate Risk & Sustainability Specialist, Iceland
Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, Member of the Icelandic Parliament; President, Nordic Council
Monica Lennon MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament
[ES] Round table: the power of ecocide law to get business back on track
Sunday 13 October, 12 noon
Venue: Camino de Melegriz, Aguas Nuevas (Albacete - Spain)
This round table will analyse how the establishment of the international crime of ecocide could become a fundamental tool to redirect business and financial activity towards better and fairer practices. This will be done through the vision of Stop Ecocide International and of companies and financial institutions that are already on this path. Getting business and finance on board with this positive change is essential to ensure a future in which human activities are conducted in harmony with nature, protecting the Earth for future generations.
Businesses can sign the Open Letter to Business HERE.
This issue will be addressed from different perspectives, including: the effect of establishing international criminal liability, the law's contribution to leveling the playing field, its support for business innovation, the redirection of investment towards sustainable practices, the commitment to a healthy and prosperous environmental future, the mitigation of financial risks associated with environmental damage, new business opportunities, the enhancement of corporate reputation and investor and consumer confidence, the benefit for long-term investment.
Participantes:
Maite Mompó: Directora de Stop Ecocidio en habla hispana. Stop Ecocidio es un movimiento mundial que tiene como objetivo convertir el ecocidio en un crimen bajo la jurisdicción de la CPI
Beatriz Fajardo: Directora de Triodos Bank en Castilla-La Mancha. Triodos Bank es un banco europeo que financia proyectos que contribuyen a un cambio social, ambiental y cultural positivo ofreciendo a los particulares productos de banca ética y sostenible.
Jose Antonio Domínguez: Gerente del Rincón del Segura. Rincón del Segura es una panadería artesanal ecológica referente a nivel nacional que, desde 1988, ofrece no sólo pan y bizcochos sino además cereales, semillas, legumbres y harinas, entre otros, todo ello a través de una relación armoniosa con la naturaleza.
Iago Vázquez: parte del equipo de Ideas Medioambientales en el área de sostenibilidad. Ideas Medioambientales es una consultoría ambiental, arqueológica y agroforestal castellano-manchega que trabaja en la evaluación del impacto ambiental, la biodiversidad y el control arqueológico para toda España, que contribuye al bienestar de la sociedad y del planeta asumiendo un fuerte compromiso en torno a la responsabilidad social corporativa.
Daniel Azaña: Coordinador de Proyectos de Llanero Solidario. Llanero Solidario es una Asociación sin ánimo de lucro, con sede en Albacete, que plantea proyectos de empresas que ayuden a un desarrollo sostenible a la vez que permite la incorporación de las personas en situación de vulnerabilidad teniendo por objetivo realizar acciones que posibiliten una sociedad más solidaria, más justa y más sostenible.
Leveraging law and finance for a liveable future
As part of the Economist Impact 4th Annual Sustainability Week
Countdown to COP (Amsterdam)
October 8th, 11:40 CET
Speakers:
Jojo Mehta, Chief executive and co-founder, Stop Ecocide International
Will Attenborough, Climate finance strategist, Insure our Future
Claudia Gray, Head of financial sector research, ShareAction; Biodiversity Scientist
Alec Van Vaerenbergh, Partner, DLA Piper
Moderated by: Katherine Stewart, Principal and team lead, policy and insights, Economist Impact
Criminalising ecocide to save our ocean
Organised by Stop Ecocide International, Gallifrey Foundation & Seas at Risk
3rd October 2024, 14:00 - 15:30
European Parliament SPAAK 7c50
The ocean, covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, is essential for life, regulating the climate, producing oxygen, and supporting 80% of life on this planet.
However, it faces escalating threats from pollution, deep-sea mining, overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change. This event will delve into how criminalising ecocide—defined as the large-scale destruction of ecosystems—could serve as a powerful legal mechanism to combat these threats. With the EU already recognising comparable offences under the revised Environmental Crimes Directive, we will explore how ecocide laws could deter harmful practices and safeguard marine environments.
Speakers:
MEP Emma Fourreau
MEP Isabella Lövin
Matthew Gianni, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition
Sue Miller, Stop Ecocide International
Farah Obaidullah, The Ocean and Us
Simon Holmström, Seas At Risk
This event is free and open to the wider public. Interpretation between French and English will be provided. Refreshments will be provided.
Register now before September 27th if you need accreditation to enter the Parliament.
Ecocide Law and Financial Responsibility: Uniting for a Safe and Regenerative Future
Ecocide Law and Financial Responsibility:
Uniting for a Safe and Regenerative Future
Monday 30th September, 17.00h – 18.00h
More info TBC
Day of artistic action in the Americas
Are you based in the Americas?
Do you engage in any form of artistic expression?
Stop Ecocidio needs your art to promote the creation of a law that protects the Earth and stops the destruction of nature.
On September 28, a day of Art and Culture for the Ecocide Law will take place in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Stop Ecocidio proposes holding an artistic event with the theme of ecocide, taking place simultaneously in the different countries of Latin America. The objective is to raise awareness about the importance of the creation of the crime of ecocide at an international level.
This proposal is part of our Network of Art and Culture.
The idea is to carry out, throughout the day, a performance art activity. In all cases, reference must be made to ecocide and the need to protect the Earth.
The possible disciplines are:
Dance
Singing and music
Theater
Sculpture (live)
Painting (live)
Muralism (live)
Poetry (recited live)
Exhibition (photography, painting, illustration, objects, etc.)
More information on each country's activities can be found on their social media profiles:
Argentina: IG @argentinasinecocidio
Chile: IG FB @chilesinecocidio X @CL_SinEcocidio
Colombia: IG @colombiasinecocidio
Guatemala: IG @gt_sin_ecocidio X @Gt_sin_ecocidio
México: IG FB @mexicosinecocidio X @MX_sinEcocidio
Venezuela: IG @ve_sinecocidio FB @vemezuelasinecocidio X @VE_SinEcocidio
Let art inspire us and unite us to make Ecocide an international crime!
Earth, Sun & Moon: law & peaceful cooperation in outer space
A dynamic conversation in a unique art studio setting: outer space, AI and legal experts address legal and philosphical frameworks for safe and peaceful activity in outer space, with an emphasis on respect for the nature of that space.
25th September, 19:00 - 22:00, New York City
In person only
A source of awe, inspiration and nature’s rhythm, outer space remains one of the world’s greatest interests and mysteries.
While the increased use of outer space has brought considerable benefits to science, commerce and even environmental advocacy, it has also led to increased military tensions, as well as the rapid exploitation of the outer space environment, leading to its de facto privatisation and exploitation by a small handful of powerful actors. Existing international space law cannot adequately regulate these developments, and due to scientific uncertainties it is unclear how well outer space’s natural environment can do so itself.
History has shown that nature cannot be exploited without consequence, and there are important links between the use and regulation of outer space and climate change. In the midst of NYC Climate Week, this event aims to highlight the connections between biodiversity (earth), climate (the sun), and outer space (celestial bodies, such as the moon), as well as emerging legal perspectives and solutions, in particular ecocide law, that could credibly address all of these. More broadly, we hope to reflect the interconnected nature of regulation of the Earth and the space around her.
Areas to address:
What are the philosophical and cultural qualities of outer space? Who owns the moon? Should there be limits to the exploitation of outer space? What are the scientific consequences of interference with celestial bodies? How do we preserve celestial bodies sustainably? What are the existing regulation gaps and how do we fill them?
Venue:
This event will be hosted in artist Dustin Yellin’s studio in Brooklyn, New York. We hope that by centering art and culture we can invite a diverse audience, reflecting outer space’s unique interest to all.
Participants:
Professor Kai-Uwe Schrogl
President, International Institute of Space Law; Special Advisor for Political Affairs, European Space Agency
Anna Maddrick
CEO, Legal Pact for the Future / Legal Adviser to the Republic of Vanuatu on ecocide law
Aeron Boley
Co-Director, Outer Space Institute, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of British Columbia
Dan Mapes
Founder and President, VERSES AI / The Spatial Web Foundation
Jojo Mehta
CEO, Stop Ecocide International
Indigenous Spokesperson (tbc)
Vanuatu Spokesperson (tbc)
Moderated by:
Lauren Banham
Program Director, Legal Pact for the Future
[FR] Invitation à rejoindre la coalition naissante Stop Ecocide International en France
Invitation à rejoindre la coalition naissante Stop Ecocide International en France
Rejoignez-nous en visioconférence.
Lien de la réunion :
Rejoindre la réunion Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86958439052?pwd=7CyiXu2khCqLlXXHA4v0EwHzbfn0Ej.1
Meeting ID: 869 5843 9052
Passcode: 298681
Nous traversons une période où la protection de notre planète n'a jamais été aussi cruciale. Les déforestations massives, les rivières polluées et les écosystèmes détruits ne sont pas seulement des faits divers ; ils sont les signes visibles de crimes environnementaux qui menacent notre avenir commun. Pourtant, ces actes restent souvent impunis ou minimisés. Ces atteintes massives ont des répercussions sur le climat, sur notre santé et sur celle des générations présentes et futures.
Suite à la proposition d’amendement du Statut de Rome de la Cour Pénale Internationale pour y inscrire le crime d’écocide par le Vanuatu, Fidji et Samoa le 9 septembre 2024 et à l’adoption de la nouvelle directive européenne sur la criminalité environnemental, Stop Ecocide International souhaite raviver le dossier de la reconnaissance du crime d'écocide en France.
Lors de cette rencontre, organisée au sein de l'espace de travail collaboratif "Droits et Mouvements sociaux”, nous vous informerons sur l’initiative du Vanuatu, la nouvelle directive européenne, ainsi que sur les implications de ces initiatives pour la France. Nous échangerons également sur les moyens de faire reconnaître l'écocide comme un crime autonome en France.
Ce sera une occasion privilégiée pour renforcer notre mouvement et bâtir ensemble un réseau capable d'influencer le législateur. Un appel à la coalition sera également lancé pour mobiliser autour de cet enjeu majeur. Nous avons besoin de toutes les forces, juristes ou non juristes, bienvenu.e.s!
Contexte National
En 2020, la France n’a pas respecté les recommandations de la Convention citoyenne pour le climat, qui préconisait la reconnaissance du crime d’écocide dans la législation française. La banalisation de l’écocide en tant que délit, avec une définition très restrictive, ne suffit pas à dissuader les atteintes les plus graves à l’environnement.
La nouvelle directive européenne (2024/1203) sur la criminalité environnementale, qui impose aux États membres de transposer la directive dans les deux ans, ainsi que la mobilisation de la société civile, représentent une opportunité pour rappeler au législateur français la nécessité de reconnaître un crime autonome d’écocide, en s'inspirant de la définition proposée par le panel international d’experts mandaté par la Fondation Stop Ecocide à savoir: actes illicites ou arbitraires commis en connaissance de la réelle probabilité qu'ils causent à l'environnement des dommages graves qui soient étendus ou durables
Contexte International
La loi Climat et Résilience du 22 août 2021, qui a créé le délit d’écocide, prévoit dans son article 296 que « Dans un délai d’un an à compter de la promulgation de la présente loi, le Gouvernement remet au Parlement un rapport sur son action en faveur de la reconnaissance de l’écocide comme un crime pouvant être jugé par des juridictions pénales internationales. »
Cf. rapport d'information [3] n° 689 du 11 janvier 2023 qui note "À ce jour, ce rapport n'a pas été remis."https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/16/rapports/cion_lois/l16b0689_rapport-information#_Toc256000007
Cf. aussi la réponse du gouvernement du 20 octobre 2022, en réponse à une question parlementaire : Reconnaissance de l'écocide à l'échelle européenne (senat.fr) https://www.senat.fr/questions/base/2022/qSEQ220700213.html
Vous pouvez soutenir cette cause en signant la pétition You MOVE : Pétition - Reconnaître le crime d'écocide.
N’hésitez-pas à vous inscrire à la réunion et à très bientôt.
La coalition naissante Stop Ecocide Internationale pour la France
(Stop Ecocide International, Droit & Mouvements Sociaux, Notre Affaire à Tous, Planète Amazone).
Earth Songs by Jehanne Mehta: Celebration Launch
IN-PERSON
Wednesday, September 4th — 7:30 pm
Stroud Parish Church - St Laurence
The Shambles, Stroud, GL5 1JL, United Kingdom
A rich evening of song and story to launch this beautiful volume of Jehanne Mehta’s contemporary English folk songs inspired by seasons and legends, landscapes and heartscapes.
Hear the songs performed both by Jehanne and band Earthwards, by West Country folk legend Johnny Coppin, by Sophie Sterckx with the Painswick Community Choir, and more… and see the original illustrations by Stu McLellan on display. Spoken contributions from renowned environmentalist Jonathon Porritt as well as Jojo Mehta, co-founder of Stop Ecocide International with the story of how Jehanne’s songs helped light the way to a global campaign to protect the planet.
An inspiring intergenerational legacy and a unique and beautiful gift, the book is a practical score for the music stand with melodies and chords for playing and teaching, and also an illustrated jewel for the coffee table. Produced by boutique nature publisher Little Toller Books, it will be available in all good bookshops as well as directly from SEI.
Half of first run proceeds and all royalties go to Stop Ecocide International.