Call to support International law of Ecocide
15 May, 2013Khartoum - Vienna Hofburg -15-5-2013,(sudanow.info.sd), Prominent figure-head in the Austrian Environmental movement Freda Meissner-Blau, International lawyer and advocate Polly Higgins and Greenpeace CEO (Middle & Eastern Europe) Alexander Egit call for Ecocide law at the EARTHtalks in the 15 May, 2013.
Vienna (OTS) - Austria called upon to take the initiative for an international law of Ecocide, and should make environmental crimes actionable before the International Criminal Court. This request was formulated today by lawyer Polly Higgins, Green Party founder Freda Meissner-Blau and Greenpeace CEO Alexander Egit in a Press conference on the occasion of the sixth EARTHtalks in Vienna.
Ecocide denotes the destruction of ecosystems by human activities (eg consequences of oil production in the Niger Delta or the Arctic) and is proposed to be enforceable as the fifth crime against peace in the International Criminal Court (ICC). In order to add the crime of ecocide to the existing four crimes against peace, only one Signatory State is required to propose an amendment, and a two-thirds majority of the 121 States Signatories will bring it into law. Today Austria was asked to table the amendment to the Rome Statute and host the meeting of the signatory countries, by Higgins: "This is a historic opportunity to demonstrate vision and leadership qualities" Higgins views Austria as a potential ally: "By raising voice against nuclear power, the Austrians have proven their sense of responsibility to future generations. Genetically modified organisms are also banned in this country. Both are examples of possible Ecocide"
In addition, Austria supported the law of Ecocide when it very nearly became an international crime in the drafts for the Rome Statute.
Freda Meissner-Blau believes that Ecocide law is a unique opportunity to finally give a legal framework to address many environmental concerns that she has championed for decades. Meissner-Blau called upon the Austrian Green Party - who have just recently tabled a motion in the Austrian Parliament to support a law of Ecocide - to create a pre-coalition condition.
"For the Green Party, serious eco-political commitment must be an integral part of the government programme." Greenpeace CEO Alexander Egit commented that all parties have the duty to support a law of Ecocide. "Austria can once again take a leading role in international environmental policy" says Egit.
The Rome Statute (1998) codifies the four existing international crimes and implemented the International Criminal Court. In 2010 Polly Higgins proposed an amendment to the Rome Statute to include a crime of Ecocide.
It is already an international crime to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment during war-time (Article 8(2)(b) of the Rome Statute). Legal definitions of what constitutes mass damage and destruction in war-time are already in place (size, duration or impact test under the ENMOD Convention). The ENMOD parameters, Polly Higgins proposes, can be used for a law of Ecocide during peace-time as well.
It only takes one party to the Rome Statute to call for an amendment for this document to be reviewed. Austria is a signatory. When put to the vote, it only requires 81 signatories to be declared a lawful amendment.
The definition proposed by Polly Higgins is:
Ecocide is the extensive damage to, destruction of or loss of ecosystem(s) of a given territory, whether by human agency or by other causes, to such an extent that peaceful enjoyment by the inhabitants of that territory has been or will be severely diminished.
IA/MO
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