Ecocide: An overlooked global issue
We would like to bring your attention to a global issue that gets little coverage in the medias: Ecocide
In February 2024, Belgium’s Federal Parliament has voted in favour of a new penal code for the country. This amendment to criminal laws includes recognition of the crime of ecocide at both the national and international levels.[1]
We thought you’d like to know about this first step in the right direction. We hope for further advancements in the future on this matter.
What is ecocide?
“Ecocide” does not have a clear definition yet. The word appeared in the context of Vietnam war when Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide and defoliant, caused massive environmental damage as well as human suffering.
Tentative definitions:
“Ecocide ordinarily refers to the devastation and destruction of the environment to the detriment of life.”[2]
“Ecocide is broadly understood to mean mass damage and destruction of ecosystems – severe harm to nature which is widespread or long-term.”[3]
What legal is the legal context?
“For several decades now, a number of actors have been trying to have the intrinsic value of nature and the rights of ecosystems to exist, thrive and regenerate recognized and defended in court.”[4]
Agent Orange in Vietnam – 1969[5]
Food for thought
One could argue that we, humans as a global species, are unable to recognize the importance of the systems that are essential to our survival.
Why are we paying so little attention to ecosystem degradation?
Could it be that individuals live in a human world and ignore unknowingly the natural world?
Type “nature” in an image search engine and you will see landscapes often including forests. Many of us probably conjure the idea of such forests when hearing the word “nature”.
Often things are not what they seem and forests, as we know them, are not natural. Indeed, nearly everyone alive today has never walked through a primary forest made by nature by way of ecological processes (free of human interventions).
It is difficult to care for something that we don’t know, don’t understand and can’t experience.
What steps can we take to go in the right direction?
As individuals, we could start by learning deeply about life on Earth and dispel misconceptions.
As a community, implementing system changes can have real impacts.
We are now presented with numerous global issues striving for our attention. Let’s prioritize those threatening our survival and make better decisions based on scientific evidence.