Stop killing the planet! Shaping International law so it's on the side of Life – with JoJo Mehta of Stop Ecocide International
Sep 11, 2024
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JoJo Mehta, co-founder and Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International, engages in a thought-provoking dialogue about making ecocide an international crime. She shares insights on harnessing legal systems to protect the planet, emphasizing the importance of accountability for corporate actions. The conversation dives into the environmental dangers of fracking and explores the potential cultural shift towards prioritizing ecological health over profit. JoJo also inspires youth involvement in climate activism, spotlighting the powerful impact of collective action.
The establishment of ecocide as an international crime aims to hold corporations accountable for environmental destruction on a global scale.
Stop Ecocide International promotes legal frameworks that recognize severe ecological harm, empowering communities to protect their lands against corporate abuses.
The podcast emphasizes the necessity of shifting societal values towards sustainability, promoting collaboration among diverse sectors to address environmental crises.
Deep dives
Introduction to Ecocide Law
The discussion centers around the establishment of ecocide as an international crime, which aims to hold individuals and corporations accountable for severe environmental damage. This concept, resurrected by Polly Higgins, seeks to create a legal framework that would criminalize actions causing extensive harm to nature. By framing ecocide within international law, advocates hope to shift the narrative and highlight the gravity of ecological destruction, positioning it on par with war crimes and genocide. The aim is to foster a collective responsibility toward the environment and encourage governments to adopt stringent measures to prevent ecocide.
The Role of Stop Ecocide International
Stop Ecocide International (SEI), co-founded by Jojo Mehta and Polly Higgins, is at the forefront of this ecological movement. The organization works collaboratively with diplomats, legal experts, and grassroots activists to drive the conversation around the criminalization of ecocide and to gather support across various sectors. SEI focuses on diplomatic processes, aiming to influence law-making that recognizes environmental destruction as a serious crime. Their approach emphasizes cooperation and broad participation, fostering dialogue on how legal frameworks can protect the planet.
Legal Frameworks and Their Impact
The podcast delves into the legal implications of ecocide law, discussing how it may address injustices in current legal systems, especially in the context of environmental degradation. For instance, it could empower Indigenous communities to protect their ancestral lands against harmful practices. The discussion also touches on how such laws might serve as deterrents to corporate malfeasance, with the possibility of jail time for executives who overlook environmental responsibilities. This legislative shift is framed as a necessary evolution in law to reflect contemporary values regarding environmental stewardship.
Empowering Communities and Changing Narratives
Establishing ecocide as a crime repositions environmental activists and communities as protectors of the law, rather than disruptors of legitimate business practices. This narrative change is crucial for encouraging collective action against ecological harm, allowing local advocates to hold corporations accountable. As such, the mere prospect of eco-centric laws shifts public perception and processes of accountability. This transformative approach aims to empower marginalized voices in environmental debates and legitimize their fight against corporate environmental destruction.
International Progress and Local Impact
There is promising progress towards integrating ecocide law at international and national levels, with various countries beginning to introduce related legislation. Jojo Mehta highlights that regions like the European Union are making strides in recognizing ecocide in their legal frameworks, indicating a growing acknowledgment of the issue. Moreover, national proposals are surfacing in countries like Mexico and Brazil, fostering hope for a broader acceptance of these laws globally. The convergence of international interest and local initiatives showcases a multi-layered approach to combating environmental degradation.
The Bigger Picture: A Call for Systemic Change
Ultimately, the conversation emphasizes the need for a systemic overhaul in how society views and interacts with the environment. Addressing environmental crimes like ecocide requires a shift in societal values and a commitment to sustainability across all sectors. This change necessitates collaboration among governments, corporations, and communities, focusing on long-term ecological health rather than short-term profits. The podcast posits that with a unified effort towards recognizing and enforcing ecocide laws, society can work toward a sustainable and balanced coexistence with nature.
Can our national and international legal systems be harnessed in service of life, to put the brakes on the worst excesses of capitalism and slow the annihilation of our eco-sphere? Stop Ecocide International exists explicitly to make this happen and this week, we talk to Jojo Mehta, co-founder and Executive Director of the movement.
If we're going to stop capitalism's harms to the planet, we have to build road blocks into the current system that will be recognised by those who make the harms happen and one of the key ways to do this is to criminalise activities that are wiping out the future in real time - if we're using Joanna Macy's concept of the Three Pillars of the Great Turning, this is one of the most effective Holding Actions imaginable (the other two pillars are 'Systems Change' and 'Shifting in Consciousness', which we explore in many other episodes.
Today, though, we're exploring this ultimate Holding Action and our guest is right at the forefront of this. Jojo Mehta is co-founder and Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International (SEI) which she and the late pioneering barrister Polly Higgins (1968-2019) set up in 2017. SEI is the driving force at the heart of the growing global movement to make ecocide an international crime. Their core work is supporting diplomatic progress and fostering global cross-sector support for this. To this end, they collaborate with diplomats, politicians, lawyers, corporate leaders, NGOs, indigenous and faith groups, influencers, academic experts, grassroots campaigns and individuals, positioning themselves with great clarity at the meeting point of legal evolution, political traction and public narrative. As a result, they are uniquely placed to track, support and amplify the global conversation.
This conversation took us in many directions, exploring the legal implications of the law, but beyond it to the potential it has to counter the iniquities of the States Investor Dispute Settlements and how it could bolster Indigenous groups seeking protections for their ancestral lands. We looked at the ways the law is being framed and where it and laws like it have already been enacted, how it's progressing in the International Criminal Court and what the ultimate aims are in using it as a deterrent, but also as a cover for those in the extractive, destructive industries - which, let's face it, is pretty much every industry - who want to act, but are constrained by their requirement to push always for profit regardless of the impact on people and planet. Those who drive them may not care about the little people - you and me - but they care about themselves and if they face actual gaol terms, then their incentive structures become quite different. As Daniel Schmachtenberger so often says, 'Show me the incentives and I'll show you the outcome' - Stop Ecocide International exists radically to shift the incentive structure and it's making real headway. If you despair about the ways we can change the trajectory of the system, if you think our chances of veering the bus away from the cliff's edge are small, then this is the spark of light you need in the gloom - it's genuinely encouraging.
