For recognition of the crime of ecocide

On July 5, CELL is organizing a festival: Voices for the planet - Stop ecocide. But what is ecocide, and why recognize it?

Genocide is the destruction of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. L'ecocidehim, refers to the destruction of natural systems by human beings.

What can our legal structures do to prevent and punish the destruction of the natural environment?

Ever since the genocide in Gaza began, we've been making the connection with the crime of ecocide. That's one of the reasons why we want to take a closer look at this notion. Visit massive destruction of natural ecosystems and climate change are leading to irreversible changes in the biosphere. Visit speed of this process does not give humanity and other living beings enough time to adapt and limit the risks. Only an elite would have the means to do this, the same elite that has developed, managed and profited from an ideological and economic system that is responsible for the current polycrisis. This model has been built by consciously ignoring the value of ecosystems in sustaining life on earth, and by making us forget that we live in a finite world, where all life forms are interconnected and interdependent.

Our current legal framework lacks the tools needed to halt the widespread degradation of ecosystems caused by dangerous industrial activity.

However, we need to preserve not only our right to Lifebut also the rights of future generations, and the rights of nature itself. Recognizing the crime of ecocide as international crime against peace would enable these rights to be effectively protected. (1)

In 1985, the Whitaker Report (2) defined ecocide as " adverse, often irreparable, changes to the environment - e.g. through nuclear explosions, chemical weapons, severe pollution and acid rain, or the destruction of rainforests - that threaten the existence of entire populations, either deliberately or through criminal negligence (3) ".

Article 26 of the draft statutes of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was drawn up in 1991. on acts seriously harming the environment, applicable in wartime and in peacetime:

"Any individual who deliberately causes or orders widespread, lasting and serious damage to the natural environment shall, when found guilty of this act, be sentenced...".

The article was buried in 1995, and the ICC, created in 2002, can only judge as a war crime the fact of causing widespread, lasting and severe damage to the natural environment, but there is no provision to protect the environment from this type of attack in peacetime (4).

It's time to make decision-makers criminally liable when their choices threaten peace through actions that destroy living conditions on earth through their impact on biodiversity and climate.

Stop Ecocide Internationala movement bringing together civil society organizations and experts, has been reviving the theme for several years, and has updated the definition of ecocide. in 2021 as unlawful or arbitrary acts committed with knowledge of the real probability that such acts will cause serious, widespread or lasting damage to the environment (5) ".

Since then, several countries have launched initiatives, including Belgium, which, since 2024, has been the first European country to recognize the crime of ecocide at both national and international level in its penal code. Another important step was taken in March 2024, when thehe European Council has formally adopted a new directive on environmental crimewhich includes a provision to criminalize cases "comparable to ecocide". This is the final vote on the new directive, which follows the approval of the European Parliament in February and a historic political agreement between the European Council, Commission and Parliament in November 2023. EU member states now have 24 months, via the so-called "transposition" process, to bring their national legislation into line with the newly adopted directive(6).

We believe that this international framework is conducive to campaign for recognition of ecocide in Luxembourg campaign, which begins on July 5 at the festival Voices for the planet with thevocal ensemble Jubilate Musica at Kass-Haff Farm.

The day will feature a unique concert by a temporary choir of 300 singers from Luxembourg. This concert is inspired by the international " Choirs for Ecocide Law "a Scandinavian movement campaigning for the massive destruction of the environment to be recognized as an international crime.

For the rest of the campaign, we can dWe would like to mention theassembly citoyenne poélitique the project "The tree that hides the forest August 29 and 30 at Kirchberg.

Registration: ul.ll1763196077ec@er1763196077bra1763196077

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