Banwell, Stacy ORCID: 0000-0001-7395-2617 (2023) Listing ecocide as an atrocity crime: what, if any, are the benefits for reducing deforestation for animal agriculture? In: Greening Justice: Intersections of Law, Crime, and Victimology, 6th December 2023, Online - European Society of Criminology. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Atrocity crimes are regarded as the most serious crimes against humankind (United Nations). Using the example of deforestation, this paper will review the benefits, or otherwise, of adding ecocide to the list of atrocity crimes. Ecocide is defined as the mass damage and/or destruction of the natural environment by human behavior. The official definition refers to unlawful or wanton acts that can result in damage that is either ‘severe,’ ‘widespread’ or ‘long-term.’ It is reviewed here in relation to deforestation for animal agriculture. Globally, it is estimated that farmland expansion accounts for 90% of deforestation (Food and Agriculture Organization for the United Nations, 2021). Crop growing and animal grazing are the main drivers of deforestation. The latter accounts for 40% of deforestation (Hussain, 2022). Put simply, large amounts of land are required to feed the billions of nonhuman animals killed each year for human consumption. This clearing of forests for animal agriculture results in increased greenhouse gas emissions which, in turn, has implications for climate change. Following Sharpston (2022), and the Wild Law Project (UK Environmental Law Association, 2009), we consider whether the principles of Earth Jurisprudence (rights for nature), alongside the crime of ecocide, can protect forests from agricultural expansion thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting ecosystems from biodiversity loss.

Item Type:	Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	ecocide; deforestation; animal agriculture
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) K Law > K Law (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences > School of Law & Criminology (LAC) Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Last Modified:	20 Dec 2023 12:24
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/45170

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