What if oil and gas extraction and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions became international crimes? Genocide is the killing of an ethnic group or nation. A crime of “ecocide” would mean destruction of the earth. Climate-destroying corporations and governments could be sued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Jojo Mehta, executive director of the advocacy organization Stop Ecocide, describes the campaign to establish a crime of ecocide. The simple existence of the crime would slow polluters through public shaming, even before a single lawsuit is won.
“Ecocide” means unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment caused by those acts.
— Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide
PRODUCER AND HOST:
Julie Hantman
GUEST:
Jojo Mehta, Executive Director of StopEcocide
RESOURCES :
Stop Ecocide
EcocideLaw.com
Inside Climate News/NBC 4-part series on ecocide
“Climate Crimes” broadcast on August 27th, 2021 over Takoma Radio WOWD-LP 94.3FM with live-streaming at www.takomaradio.org. This is the 12th episode of the Climate Seasons radio series, produced and hosted by Julie Hantman.
