ERADICTING ECOCIDE

Law can close one door nd open another.LAW CAN CHANGE ONE VALUES AND UNDERSTANDING.

My theme is ecocide as crime - in fact ecocide is in essence the very anthethesis of life - it can be the outcome of external factors,of a force majeur or an "Act of God" such as flodng and earthquake. It can also a result of human intervention and t requires legislation of internatonal scope.When destruction arses out of the action of mankind, ecocide can be regarded as a crime against peace, against the peace of all who reside therein.The destruction of large areas of the environment and ecosystems can be caused drectly or indirectly by activities such as nuclear testing, exploitation of resoutces,use of defoliants,emmission of pollutants or war.

Ecocide ia unlawful damage to a given environment and as a crime is not restricted to the confines of war alone - the categorization of ecocide as a crime aginst peace is appropriate.

By incorporating ecocide as a fifth crime against peace under the Rome Statute the nternatonal Criminal Court as a permanent tribunal will proseute individuals for crimes against peace.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT ECOCIDE BE A CRIME OF STRICT LIABILITY which places the focus on exercise of preventing the harm, not on the blame of the accused.This regulatory legislation moves the emphasis from the protection of individual interests to the protection of public and social interests.As an international crime it must be an imprisonable offence with required restoration.

The extablishment of the crime of ecocide creates obligation to act responsibly before damage or destruction of a given territory takes place.In doing so the burden shifts dramatically and we have to send a powerful global message to the world to take resposnibility for the well being of all life.