During the meeting, Professor Charles C. Jalloh of the University of Miami Law School and member of the UN International Law Commission stated that severe environmental damage should be prohibited as a crime under international and national laws. Jalloh, who served on the Independent Expert Panel that developed the legal definition of ecocide, noted that “the definitions we developed, and variants of them, have already been included in the national laws of various states.”
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Francess Piagie Alghali, speaking in her capacity as President of the Security Council, said: ‘we note the emerging discussions on recognising ecocide as a serious international crime and encourage continued reflection on accountability pathways consistent with international law.”
Panama’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Eloy Alfaro de Alba, referenced Professor Jalloh’s presentation, noting that “environmental degradation opens the door to a possible environmental crime that could be identified as ecocide.”
The full broadcast of the 10035th meeting of the Security Council, ‘Climate and security: environmental impact of armed conflict and climate-driven security risks’ can be viewed here.
Information courtesy of Stop Ecocide International.
