Organised by Rebecka Le Moine (Green Party), Jytte Guteland (Social Democrats) and Fredrik Ahlstedt (Moderates), the seminar brought together leading experts in international criminal law, sustainability, and business.
Russia’s Destruction of Ukraine’s Nature Demands Legal Accountability
Wayne Jordash KC, a leading expert in international criminal law, presented extensive documentation of the environmental destruction caused by Russia in Ukraine since the invasion. The systematic destruction of ecosystems, waterways and agricultural land is not only a humanitarian catastrophe, it is also being deliberately used as a weapon of war.
Ukraine is actively advocating for ecocide to be recognised as an international crime. Participating politicians highlighted that strong Swedish support for this effort would be a natural extension of Sweden’s broader commitment to the Ukraine.
A key conclusion from the discussions was that condemnation alone is not enough. There is a clear need for an international legal framework with real consequences for those who order or carry out large-scale environmental destruction.
Gustaf Lind, former head of the department for International Law and Human Rights at the Swedish Foreign Office, former State Secretary and a diplomat, currently Secretary General of the World Wildlife Fund in Sweden, and Ganna Gladkykh, policy fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute and a board member of the Nordic Ukraine Forum, joined Wayne Jordash in emphasizing the importance of making ecocide an international crime in order to address the serious consequences of environmental destruction.
Gustaf Lind clarified that ecocide law hits a sweet spot in law where neither national legislation nor international legal systems function effectively: where there are wars, for example, or states with weak legal systems. He also pointed to how nature is getting more closely related to security now, mentioning the recent British government report on how large-scale collapse of ecosystems will threaten the stability and security of the United Kingdom.
With a photo of Ukrainian soil pitted with Russian explosives and polluted with chemicals, toxins, heavy metals Ganna showed the face of the threat to global food security. Ukraine has one third of the world’s black soil – the world’s most fertile soil – and has been a major exporter of grain globally. Now, it will take many decades to restore it.
Ganna Glakykh also stressed that international cooperation is essential, that there is no justice without accountability, no true peace without accountability, no sustainable future for anyone without accountability.
Together, they showed that ecocide is both a legal necessity and a practical issue of justice, security, and future sustainability.
The Legal Groundwork is Already in Place
‘Vanuatu, Samoa, and Fiji have jointly submitted a proposal for an ecocide law to the States Parties to the Rome Statute. The proposal includes a definition developed by a panel of internationally recognised experts and builds on already established legal concepts. That part of the work is already done’, said Nina Macpherson, Chairman of the Ecocide Law Alliance foundation.
Left to right: Kerstin Lundgren (Centre Party), Fredrik Ahlstedt (Moderates), Magnus Berntsson (Christian Democrats), Håkan Svenneling (Left Party), Rebecka Le Moine (Green Party).
There was broad consensus among speakers at the seminar that the Swedish government should actively promote ecocide as a fifth crime under the Rome Statute in international forums, and support Ukraine’s efforts to achieve legal accountability for the environmental destruction it has suffered.
A Level Playing Field for Responsible Business
Beyond the immediate context of war and conflict, an international ecocide law would bring significant benefits to the global business community, particularly to companies already committed to sustainable practices.
Today, responsible businesses that invest in environmental protection and long-term stewardship of natural resources face an uneven playing field. Competitors that cut corners by polluting rivers, clearing forests, or exploiting natural resources irresponsibly can operate at lower costs, undercutting those who act responsibly.
Left to right: Nina Macpherson, David Frydlinger, Johanna Lundgren Gestlöf.
An international ecocide law would help address this imbalance by changing consciousness and creating a global standard. It would increase reputational risks and reduce the financial incentives for environmental harm. David Frydlinger, business attorney at Cirio, made a point of the importance of ecocide law to prevent the systematic destruction of the environment which in turn can threaten the rule of law and thus democracy.
For Swedish and other European companies operating under strict environmental regulations, a global ecocide law would level the playing field and ensure that responsible practices are not penalised by unfair competition. It would also provide long-term legal certainty, an increasingly important factor for investors and stakeholders seeking sustainable and resilient business models.
Johanna Lundgren Gestlöf, Head of Sustainability at occupational pension fund SPP, said that approximately 50% of global GDP is highly or moderately dependent on the services of Mother Nature and that SPP already excludes companies from its 1,500 billion Norwegian crowns investment fund due to severe environmental damage.
‘It is only logical that Swedish companies that take sustainability seriously should not be at a competitive disadvantage compared to those who exploit nature for short-term profit. A global ecocide law is not a burden on business. On the contrary, it protects those who are already doing the right thing’, Nina Macpherson summed it up.
Sweden already has strong domestic legislation on environmental crime, which will be further strengthened with the implementation of the EU’s new Environmental Crime Directive. The next logical step is for Sweden to work actively to ensure that these principles are applied globally through the Rome Statute.
What Should Sweden Do Next?
Sweden has a long-standing tradition of being a voice for international law and justice. There is now an opportunity to once again take a leading role by:
- Actively promoting ecocide as a fifth crime under the Rome Statute in international forums
- Supporting Ukraine’s efforts to secure legal accountability for environmental destruction
- Coordinate with like-minded countries to build a strong international coalition in support of an ecocide law
Moderated by Catarina Rolfsdotter, the seminar kicked off with a musical interlude from the choir concert Let’s Change the Rules.
