42 NGOs back ecocide law at UN criminal justice conference

This week in Vienna at the 31st session of the UNODC’s Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice, a statement was submitted to the plenary from 42 ECOSOC (Economic & Social Council) organisations supporting the criminalisation of ecocide, among a number of recommendations.  Co-drafted by the Stop Ecocide Foundation, Socialist International Women (SIW) and the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development of Vienna, the statement was submitted by SIW to the plenary session in written form and an abridged version was delivered by Jojo Mehta, Chair of the Stop Ecocide Foundation by kind invitation of the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice of which the Foundation is a member.

Ms Mehta attended the plenary in person, as well as a breakfast reception hosted by the US State Department in support of the work of NGOs in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice, and was a guest of the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development of Vienna.  

An official online side event Criminalising Ecocide: A New Deterrent to Crimes that Affect the Environment was also included in the conference programme and was extremely well attended.  The event can be viewed below. 

Ms Mehta said: “It is significant and timely that ecocide should be discussed at the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice conference.  It is the first time in decades that a new international crime is being talked about on the global diplomatic stage, and the relevant UN agencies and programs must be informed and take an active part in the conversation.”