Law Against Ecocide Was Suggested As Early as 1972
Alternatives to Political Systems, Ethical Investment, People Systems, Society — by Polly Higgins November 1, 2012
Imagine it’s 2020
I write to you from 2020, a world where there is no more Ecocide; a law of Eococide has now been passed after 5 years of transition where all companies have been given subsidies to prioritise a green economy; governments have been re-writing their policies and laws to bring them in line with the 5th Crime Against Peace and banks have new investment rules that categorise investment into dangerous indistrial activity as unsupportable. Innovation in the green sector has flourished and economies are stabilising; long-term investment signals into green-tech have brought a flood of job opportunities to millions of people across the globe and Green Crime has become a thing of the past.
My wish is not only possible, it almost became a reality 14 years ago. Back then the Rome Statute was put in place — however earlier drafts had included a law of Ecocide. [See more info further below.] Can you imagine where we would be if it had been enacted? We would be in a place just as I envision for 2020.
Comments (7)Reframing Our Values With the Law of Ecocide (Plus TEDx Video)
Alternatives to Political Systems — by Polly Higgins September 21, 2012
I write to you from the UN in NY where I am in meetings and talks about the law of Ecocide. It’s been a busy few days; I have also been speaking at various classes in NYU and downtown to a group of students studying Corporate Governance. On Monday I shared a platform with Jill Stein, the US Green Party presidential candidate and we had a chance to touch base about the recent adoption of the motion to support a law of Ecocide by our Green Party back in the UK. I’m hoping she’ll do the same here. Then it was off down to Wall Street for a radio interview about Ecocide.
On Tuesday I met with a group of UN Ambassadors and other parties to discuss the legal implications of creating a global duty of care to assist nations most likely to be affected by rising sea levels; at the moment there are 54 small island states that have no recourse to emergency aid. A law of Ecocide will fast-track to a solution that can be implemented at the very highest level – unlike protocols and accords that have so far failed.
Comments (1)Political Support Builds for Law of Ecocide
Alternatives to Political Systems — by Polly Higgins September 19, 2012
On Sunday Polly travelled down to Bristol to speak at the Annual Green Party Conference about the law of Ecocide and how it will trigger a green economy. She was absolutely delighted to arrive and be told that the Party had in fact already voted in favour of supporting the law of Ecocide the day before.
It was a day of celebrations; Natalie Bennet has taken over as their new leader and many members were eager to discuss further plans for taking the law of Ecocide (see here and here) to Green Parties elsewhere.
The Green Party believes that the international legal framework should include so-called "third generation" rights. These are not individual rights but they concern matters which affect us all. They include the right to a healthy environment. An international law of Ecocide enshrines these rights in law and will lead to government policies which put people and planet first.
Comments (0)We Need Your Help to End the Era of Ecocide
Alternatives to Political Systems, Biodiversity, Deforestation, Economics, Global Warming/Climate Change, Nuclear, Society, Soil Erosion & Contamination, Water Contaminaton & Loss — by Polly Higgins September 8, 2012
Editor’s Note: We’ve covered a little of Polly Higgin’s important work before (see here and here). If you’re not already familiar with Polly’s work, I would strongly encourage you to check out the web pages and videos linked to below, as well as our aforementioned pieces. Permaculturists dream of whole earth restoration, but our efforts, whilst essential, are, if I may, largely piecemeal. The reason for this is that for every positive step someone makes, an industry or government does, or allows, something significantly more destructive to take place that more than overshadows it. We will never break out of this destructive cycle unless we make environmental destruction illegal, and hold the people responsible accountable. As you are able, please support Polly’s work. If you cannot donate, please at least do what you can to share and circulate this page.
I have something I would like to share with you. Today myself and my team have reached zero. The pot is now bare and our funding resources are in urgent need of replenishing. In the past year your donations of over £200,000 funded my and my team’s work; we planted some incredible seeds in the run up to the Rio Earth Summit. Out of that we have had some wonderful successes; in the past year alone we have held a mock Ecocide Trial in the UK Supreme Court, the University of London launched their Ecocide Project, I have travelled to countries and spoken on many platforms,I launched my second book Earth is our Business, I have been awarded Overall Champion by the PEA awards, I have started a training programme for others to learn how to become a Voice for the Earth and I have submitted a concept paper, Closing the door to dangerous industrial activity to all government’s around the world. All this has been done with the help of your money and without it none of this would have been at all possible.
Yesterday we held an emergency meeting; despite the enormous efforts of our fundraiser over the past few months we have been unable to raise more than a few thousand pounds. We are looking squarely at the future and we see enormous opportunity to take forward all that I have already achieved; just think how close we are to making this law a reality.
Everything we do is governed by permaculture ethics; people care, earth care and fair share. Ecocides occur when we take far more than our fair share, which affects both our people and our Earth. To ensure we live within our planetary limits, a law of Ecocide creates a legal framework that can ensure we all live in peaceful enjoyment.
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