Ecocide is the name for the mass damage and destruction of our ecosystems. Right now it is legally permitted and has created the climate and ecological emergency we find ourselves in.
UK barrister Polly Higgins (1968-2019) spent the last 10 years of her life working towards creating a legal duty of care for the Earth. At present the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) lists 4 crimes: Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Crimes of Aggression. Polly's vision was that a fifth crime could be added: Ecocide. This would make those individuals responsible for funding, permitting or causing severe environmental harm liable to criminal prosecution.
Polly worked tirelessly with international lawyers, researchers and diplomats, presented to the United Nations and wrote several books. In 2017 she founded the Stop Ecocide public campaign with Jojo Mehta who now coordinates a growing team to make this a reality. See Stop Ecocide for more information.
What can you do? Sign the International Petition and then go on to Become an Earth Protector — Stop Ecocide By doing this and gifting the equivalent of 5 euros (or more of course) you become a trustee of the Earth Protectors Trust Fund, which supports the Small Island Developing States and other climate-vulnerable states who are working with the Stop Ecocode campiagn towards getting an amendment to criminal law.
This unique Trust Fund document issued in your name carries legal weight. It is proof that you believe that damage to the Earth and its inhabitants is a crime and can be used in court as primary evidence that you are not acting to cause harm, but to prevent it. You may be joining a peaceful protest, a roadblock, an XR action or any other peaceful direct action to protect the earth and if so, becoming an Earth Protector has special value for you. It shows you are not a criminal, but a Conscientious Protector.
So why not join the 160,000 Earth Protectors around the world? Here's a little 40 second video to inspire and share! Help ecocide become an international crime - YouTube