Belgium, first European country to raise issue of ecocide at International criminal Court

Belgium is first European nation to raise criminalising ecocide at the International Criminal Court … the country’s official statement to the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties last week was made by Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès who stated: 

“I would also like to take this opportunity to draw the attention of the State Parties to the tragedy of serious environmental crimes. Belgium believes that it would be useful to examine the possibility of introducing crimes known as ‘ecocide’ into the Rome Statute system in the context of’the work of our upcoming sessions.”

Great to see the Belgian government beginning to make good on the pledges in its 4-year programme.

Original extract in French:

“Je souhaite également profiter de cette intervention pour attirer l’attention des Etats parties sur le drame que constitue la perpétration de crimes graves à l’environnement. La Belgique estime qu’il serait utile d’examiner la possibilité d’introduire les crimes dits d’« écocide » dans le système du Statut de Rome, dans le cadre des travaux de nos prochaines sessions.”

Full official statement here by Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès