Unfortunately
nothing of consequence is happening on this front, as our emissions
rise daily and our destruction of the biosphere continues apace to
satisfy the perceived needs of what is sometimes referred to as the
‘human project’ but may more objectively be described as the
consumer or civilisation project.
That
the global community is rendered absolutely impotent in the face of a
known, unprecedented, irreversible, and life-threatening danger is a
measure of the catastrophic failure of governance globally (the way
in which we govern ourselves or are governed, as you will) that is
taking place.
At
all levels this has proved itself totally dysfunctional in its
attempts to evaluate and address the trajectory on which we seem
stubbornly and obstreperously stuck; absolutely unable to respond
rationally to a fundamental change in paradigm resulting from radical
advances in scientific knowledge.
Instead,
its institutions have drifted along in the old model, unable to cope,
clinging to bankrupt values which are transparently untenable, as if
ignoring our predicament will somehow cause it to spontaneously
evaporate.
It
is entirely clear that the only way to address the ecological
disaster unfolding in excruciatingly slow motion is to cut back
radically on activities giving rise to the damage, and as a matter of
the utmost urgency. But so far all attempts to do this have foundered
on the cross of economic ‘imperatives’ and political expediency.
Governments having failed, lamentably it has fallen to individuals to
take this imperative expedient forward.
Polly
Higgins is an exemplar for us all: a barrister who has renounced a
promising career and the secure and comfortable life which is the
natural corollary to such a calling, to dedicate herself absolutely
to the cause of saving the world from ecological catastrophe. If
everyone would only recognise that life changing decisions and a
certain measure of renunciation are demanded of each one of us by the
perilous position we find ourselves in entirely as the result of
our own folly, how different our prospects would be.
Recognising
the urgency of the need to address the immediate causes, last spring
Polly
lodged a proposal with the UN Law Commission calling for ecocide
to become the fifth crime against peace, alongside the existing
crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes
of aggression. These crimes against peace are international and can
be tried by the International Criminal Court.
She
followed up with a book entitled Eradicating
Ecocide published last September, which quickly found its way
onto the syllabus of various law schools internationally. Since, the
campaign has been gathering pace in many quarters, resulting in
speaking engagements and tours on various continents.
This
Friday, 30 September, the
world’s first trial of the crime of ecocide will take place at
no less a venue than the Supreme Court in London. This is a mock
trial, obviously, designed to illustrate how the crime of ecocide
would work in practice should it become law.
Anyone
willing to chance their health in the hazardous airs of London can
attend, though space is limited so the advice is to arrive early,
although the trial will also be shown on CCTV in the lobby of the
court.
Happily
for those not inclined to run up the carbon, the
trial will be televised on Sky News, enabling anyone, anywhere to
have a virtual presence.
All
this is very good news indeed. That notwithstanding, there remain a
couple of serious loopholes in what has been proposed which render it
questionable as to how effective the crime of ecocide would prove to
be as currently put forward.
The
aspiration is that the next two posts will deal with those, in the
hope that by so identifying those weaknesses, they can be addressed
before the crime of ecocide becomes set in law.
For
there is unlikely to be a second chance at this, and it is vital that
it should work - for all of life.
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