The farming community and landworkers are on the frontline with respect to feeding communities, and also often the first to witness the severe damage being suffered by soils, wildlife, forests and waterways.

For many farmers, current business models and legal frameworks can encourage ways of working that are not sustainable long term.  Existing protections for nature, wildlife and livestock are often poorly monitored and there is constant pressure to produce more for less, skewing markets in favour of companies with fewer scruples and jurisdictions with fewer safeguards.  At an industrial level, this has lead to inevitably to some of the world’s most polluting practices, degrading soils, decimating forests and biodiversity and exacerbating climate change.

At the same time, the farming community is uniquely placed to respond to the climate and ecological crisis - to be part of the solution. A growing number of farmers, foresters, growers and land-based workers are choosing to adopt regenerative methods that work in harmony with nature, restoring soils and ecosystems to health and productivity.  While a fast-growing proportion of the public supports this, many cannot afford to do so.

A new international crime of ecocide will set parameters to deter and prevent the most severe and damaging (often illegal) practices, incentivising all agricultural sectors to transition towards sustainability.  It will level the playing field for regenerative and nature-friendly approaches while supporting the enforcement and development of better regulation, ultimately also offering all citizens healthier choices.  Most importantly, ecocide law will protect soils, wildlife, forests and biodiversity from the worst harms, safeguarding food security and our common future.

Therefore, as organizations, businesses and communities that live and work with the land and in farming, agriculture and forestry, we believe that recognizing ecocide as an international crime is now essential.

We call on all governments to support the inclusion of ecocide into the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and to positively engage in the growing global conversation to make this a reality.

¹ Consensus legal definition of ecocide drafted by the Independent Expert Panel, convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation. https://www.stopecocide.earth/legal-definition, June 2021