Crime scene Ecocide – From misdemeanour to capital crime against humans and the environment?

Recording here:

Dear friends,

Is ecocide gaining momentum as a criminal offence for the mass damage and destruction of ecosystems worldwide? A large window of opportunity An outstanding opportunity is currently open available in the European Union: for the member states and the EU parliament, the revision of the EU Environmental Criminal Law Directive means a concrete chance to create a basis for punishing those responsible for the worst environmental damage by including the crime of ecocide.

Despite encouraging steps, breakthrough not yet achieved

This month, Pope Francis again referred to the need to criminalise ecocide as the fifth crime against peace at the international level. In its statement for COP27, the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), an investor association with $70 trillion in assets under management, again called for the criminalisation of ecocide. In Belgium, Environment Minister Zakia Khattabi, in consensus with the Ministry of Justice, is bringing ecocide into the new penal code as a serious crime. In France, ecocide is already punishable by up to 10 years in prison since 2021.

The gaping hole in international law must be urgently closed

Environmental crimes are the third largest crime sector in the world, yet no international law currently exists to criminalise the serious destruction of the environment.

How can we prevent conservative forces from blocking the inclusion of ecocide in the EU Environmental Crime Directive?

What needs to happen for ecocide to be included in EU environmental criminal law and in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court?

What role can the criminalisation of ecocide play in protecting the biosphere and, in particular, at the upcoming COP15 in Montreal?

Experts from politics, law and NGOs will discuss these questions in our next Europe Calling webinar, organised in cooperation with Stop Ecocide Germany.

• Jojo Mehta, Co-Founder of Stop Ecocide International
• Dr. Dana Schirwon, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
• Prof. Hermann Ott, Managing Director, Client Earth Germany
• Hannes Jaenicke, author, documentary filmmaker, actor and activist
• Special Guest: Oleh Bondarenko, Chairperson of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management

When? Thursday, 01.12., 7:00 – 8:30 pm

The webinar will be simultaneously translated into German and English.

Join us and invite others!

With European greetings,

Maximilian Fries and all at Europe Calling