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Climate Counsel In the press
In response to an open invitation for comments, Climate Counsel has submitted its opinions on the forthcoming policy paper on environmental crimes to be issued by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
While prosecutions for environmental destruction have been absent from war crimes trials in the past, that may change in Ukraine. Richard J Rogers, Kate Mackintosh, and Maksym Popov write on our efforts to ensure accountability for environmental war crimes.
Climate Counsel’s guide to environmental war crimes for Ukrainian prosecutors has now been released in its 2nd revised edition. Available for download now.
Richard J Rogers and Moneim Adam argue that the ICC should take action to address climate security and environmental atrocity crimes in the wake of our open letter to the prosecutor.
Discussion of our open letter to the ICC regarding climate security and environmental atrocity crimes, focussing on the issues behind our position.
Climate Counsel, Sudan Human Rights Hub, and Gisa Group have today submitted an Open Letter to the Prosecutor of the ICC, calling on him to prioritise climate security and the prosecution of environmental atrocity crimes.
20.10.23 - United for Justice, United for Nature Conference, Kyiv
Climate Counsel’s Richard J Rogers spoke at the conference, explaining practical approaches to prosecuting environmental atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine.
The fifth in our series on Climate Security, examining the role that access to water plays in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the implications for the MENA region.
Climate Counsel lawyers contributed an article to UCLA The Promise Institute for Human Rights’ 2023 Symposium. Paulo Busse and Richard Rogers argue for the introduction of ecocide law in Brazil to effectively protect the Amazon rainforest.
Paulo Busse speaks to Kate Mackintosh regarding deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and ecocide developments within Brazil. Also available on Apple Podcasts.
Climate Counsel launches its new guide to identifying and framing environmental war crimes in Ukraine. This practical guide will give Ukrainian prosecutors the tools they need to pursue environmental justice for the ongoing destruction of their land by Russian forces.
VIDEO: Climate Counsel’s Richard Rogers spoke to environmental war crimes at the United for Justice Conference held in Lviv, opened by President Zelensky
05.03.23 - United for Justice Conference, Lviv
Climate Counsel’s Richard Rogers spoke to environmental war crimes at the United for Justice Conference held in Lviv, opened by President Zelensky.
Discussion of the opportunities and challenges for justice in the wake of Climate Counsel’s ICC Communication on crimes in the Amazon rainforest.
Climate Counsel’s Richard Rogers and Paulo Busse speak to Mongabay regarding our Communication to the ICC on Crimes Against Humanity in the Amazon rainforest.
Climate Counsel reviews its work and achievements over the last year, and looks toward upcoming projects to pursue environmental justice in 2023.
Executive Director Richard Rogers discusses the shortcomings of the ICC’s exclusive focus on armed conflict at the expense of atrocities committed in peacetime and involving environmental issues.
The fourth in our blog series explores the issue of climate security in peace-building, and the role of climate change in prolonging conflicts in Colombia.
Climate Counsel, in conjunction with Greenpeace Brasil and Observatório do Clima, have filed a Communication to the Prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court regarding land and water conflicts in the Amazon rainforest.
30.09.22 - Climate Security Blog: Myanmar
The third of our blog series explores the climate-conflict nexus in the context of the ongoing military-civilian engagements in Myanmar, particularly in the rural Rakhine state.
19.08.22 - Climate Security Blog: Syria
In the second of Climate Counsel’s blog series, we explore the ways in which climatic conditions shaped the conflict in Syria: from its origins and the methods of warfare used to the role of the environment as a victim of the war.
22.06.22 - Climate Security Blog: Sudan
Climate Counsel launches its new blog series exploring the nexus between climate change and global security challenges, addressing the origins of violence, how the environment serves as a risk multiplier and plays a role in armed conflict, and how to best provide justice to the victims of atrocities.
20.05.22 - Ecocide Alliance
The International Parliamentary Alliance For The Recognition Of Ecocide calls on the international community to “support organisations to analyse and build criminal cases based on [data from the Ukraine conflict] such as Climate Counsel.”
19.05.22 - Climate Counsel at the European Parliament
Climate Counsel’s Richard Rogers appears before the EU Parliament to explain the impacts of climate insecurity on developing nations and argues for the inclusion of ecocide in the EU’s new directive on environmental crimes.
07.02.22 - Al Jazeera
Climate Counsel’s Richard Rogers offers his comments on the upcoming US Congressional hearings into Big Oil’s climate deception.
19.01.22 - Act In Courts Workshop
Richard Rogers, Executive Director of Climate Counsel, explains the process of drafting a new law of ecocide and the role that civil society can play going forward.
10.11.2021 - Climate Counsel at COP26
Richard Rogers, Executive Director of Climate Counsel, appears alongside Shadow Justice Secretary of the UK, David Lammy, and Jojo Mehta, Chair of the Stop Ecocide Foundation, to discuss the new ecocide definition.
31.08.2021 - Project Syndicate
Climate Counsel leaders Richard Rogers, Kate Mackintosh, and ally Jojo Mehta explain the path required to make ecocide an international crime at the International Criminal Court.
07.07.2021 - Stop Ecocide Foundation
Richard Rogers, Executive Director of Climate Counsel, appears alongside Shadow Justice Secretary of the UK, David Lammy, and Jojo Mehta, Chair of the Stop Ecocide Foundation, to discuss the new ecocide definition.
22.06.2021 Stop Ecocide Foundation
Richard Rogers, Executive Director of Climate Counsel, was part of a panel to devise a definition of ecocide that both met the needs of the climate crisis and would be workable in international criminal law. Click here to read.
08.04.2021 POLITICO
“There is no international criminal law that can be applied, neatly and directly, to many of the worst assaults on our natural environments — whether degradation of forests, poisoning of rivers, or extinction of animal species,” said Richard J. Rogers, an international human rights lawyer who also worked for the ICC.
07.04.2021 - InsideClimateNews
Richard J. Rogers, a British expert in international criminal law who is a partner at Global Diligence and a member of the drafting panel, said it may be relatively straightforward to criminalize certain acts, like destruction of a forest or waterway.
Climate Counsel, Global Witness, and FIDH send Open Letter to ICC Prosecutor urging her to investigate land grabbing crimes in Cambodia. The Letter has over 50 signatories, including UN Experts, organisations, and legal academics.
06.02.2021 - Human Rights Survival Guide
Climate Counsel’s Executive Director, Richard Rogers, takes part in a podcast exploring the intersection of environmental justice and human rights.
Climate Counsel’s partner organization, INTERPRT, posts new video explaining Ecocide as an international crime.
17.11.20 - Stop Ecocide Foundation
Climate Counsel's Richard J Rogers and Kate Mckintosh to serve as Co-Deputy Chairs of the new expert drafting panel on the new legal definition of ecocide. The panel is Chaired by Phillippe Sands QC and Judge Mumba.
Webinar: Protecting the Future of the Planet
Climate Counsel's Executive Director joins a PILNET panel to speak to environment and climate litigation.
“…The report, by Global Diligence LLP, was commissioned by campaign group Not1More and looks into how the UK complies with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights…”
“…We need a new international law of ecocide to criminalize the willful and widespread destruction of the environment, a law that criminalizes the most severe crimes against nature itself, even for acts don't involve direct human suffering...”
03.06.20 - Opinio Juris
ICL and Environmental Protection Symposium: Can Ecocide Save the Planet? An International Crime of Climate Change
01.06.20 - Opinio Juris
ICL and Environmental Protection Symposium: The Environmental Crisis–Cases for ‘Particular Consideration’ at the ICC
June 2020 - Los Angeles Lawyer
The USA and the ICC: FRIENDS or FOES? - Kate Mackintosh
23.03.2020 - The Promise Human Rights Blog, UCLA School of Law
International Criminal Law and Climate Change: An Expert Panel
05.03.2020 - Justiceinfo.net
The ICC gives green light to Afghanistan Investigation
21.09.19 - The New York Times
Imagine Jair Bolsonaro Standing Trial for Ecocide at The Hague
30.10.2018 - Euronews
Brazil's Bolsonaro: A new candidate for trial in the Hague? | View
01.12.2017 - Al Jazeera
Cambodia's Deadly Politics | 101 East
15.09.2016 The Guardian
ICC widens remit to include environmental destruction cases
06.11.2016 - The New York Times
The ICC, Out of Africa
16.09.16 - The Washington Post
Is environmental destruction a crime against humanity? The ICC may be about to find out.
21.09.2016 - The Ecologist
ICC to prosecute environmental crimes for profit
15.09.2016 - Reuters
International court to prosecute environmental crimes in major shift
07.10.2014 - The Diplomat
Cambodia’s Ruling Elite May Face ICC Probe Over Land Grab. A criminal complaint has been filed with the International Criminal Court, alleging crimes against humanity.
04.12.2019 - HuffPost
Politicians And CEOs Could Face Criminal Charges For Environmental Destruction
Ecocide in the press
