The Significance and Implications of the Term 'Ecocide' in Today's World

Criminalizing wilful environmental damage is harder than it sounds.

About Ecocide:

• Derived from Greek and Latin, It is defined "as unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe or either widespread or long-term damage to the environment caused by those acts".

• It is also referred to as killing one's home or environment in order like port expansion projects, deforestation, illegal sand mining, polluting rivers and releasing untreated sewage, etc.. that destroy fragile natural ecosystems and local livelihoods.

• Commonly cited examples of Ecocide include Deforestation during the Vietnam War, the destruction of the environment during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Deforestation in Indonesia and the Amazon Rainforest, Oil Pollution in the Niger Delta, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and the Chernobyl disaster.

• No Specific International Law against Ecocide applies in peacetime, but the Rome Statute makes it a crime.

A Need for Criminalizing Ecocide:-

1. Over a third of the earth's animal and plant species could be extinct by 2050. Unprecedented heat waves have broken records worldwide. Changing rainfall schemes have disrupted flood and drought patterns.

2. Deforestation of the Amazon, Deep-sea trawling, or even the Catastrophic 1984 Bhopal Gas Disaster could have been avoided with Ecocide laws in place.

3. Ecocide laws could also double up as calls for justice for low and middle-income countries disproportionately affected by Climate Change.

Global Status of Ecocide Laws:-

• It is a crime in almost 11 countries, with 27 others considering laws to criminalize environmental damage that is wilfully caused and harms humans, animals, and plants.

• Countries that have criminalized ecocide include Vietnam, Ukraine, Russia, etc..

• The European Parliament penalizes "Mass destruction of flora and fauna", "Poisoning the Atmosphere or Water Resources" or "Deliberate actions capable of causing an ecological disaster.

India's stance on Ecocide measures in the country:-

Well the Indian Government has implemented several initiatives to protect the environment and conserve natural resources and ecosystems which include:

• NAPCC- National Action Plan on Climate Change- This Plan includes missions in areas such as Solar Energy, Energy efficiency, Water, agriculture, and the Himalayan Ecosystem

• Climate Change Mission- It includes Programs such as National Afforestation Programmes and Green India Mission which further ensures the establishment of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves

• National River Conservation Programme- It includes Sub-schemes for the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems

• National Coastal Management Programme- Promotes the inclusion of the Green Credit Programme (GCP), launched recently in 2023.

• Further, the Indian Government also provides for the " Vanmahotsav " awareness drive to conserve forests.

- A Blog by Jitisha .S. Hiremath