Eradicating Ecocide: Laws and Governance to Stop the Destruction of the Planet - Softcover

Polly Higgins

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0856832758 ISBN 13: 9780856832758

Publisher: Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd, 2010

Synopsis

‘Eradicating Ecocide highlights the need for enforceable, legally binding mechanisms in national and international law to hold account perpetrators of long term severe damage to the environment. At this critical juncture in history it is vital that we set global standards of accountability for corporations, in order to put an end to the culture of impunity and double standards that pervade the international legal system. Polly Higgins illustrates how this can be achieved in her invaluable new book.’
Bianca Jagger, Founder and Chair of Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation

In Eradicating Ecocide, international environment lawyer and activist Polly Higgins sets out to demonstrate in no uncertain terms how our planet is fast being destroyed by the activities of corporations and governments, facilitated by 'compromise' laws that offer insufficient deterrence. She offers a solution that is radical but, as she explains with great competence and experience, absolutely necessary. The recent Mexican Gulf oil spill is a compelling reminder of the consequences of un-checked ecocide. Higgins advocates the introduction of a new international law against Ecocide. It would become the 5th Crime Against Peace and would hold to account heads of corporate bodies that are found guilty of perpetrating ecocide.

The opportunity to implement this law represents a crossroads in the fate of humanity; we can accept this one change and in doing so save our ecosystem for future generations, or we can continue to destroy it, risking future brutal war over disappearing natural resources. This is the first book to explain that we all have a commanding voice and the power to call upon all our governments to change the existing rules of the game. Higgins presents examples of laws in other countries which have succeeded in curtailing the power of governments, corporations and banks and made a sudden and effective change, demonstrating that her proposal is not impossible. Eradicating Ecocide is a crash course on what laws work, what doesn't and what else is needed to prevent the imminent disaster of global collapse. Eradicating Ecocide provides a comprehensive overview of what needs to be done in order to prevent ecocide. It is a book providing a template of a body of laws for all governments to implement, which applies equally to smaller communities and anyone who is involved in decision-making.

About this title

About the Author:

Polly Higgins is a barrister, international environmental lawyer and activist whose exhaustive research lays bare why peace is unachievable whilst we have laws that protect the rights of corporations to destroy the planet. Advocating a new crime of Ecocide: 'to cause damage, destruction to or loss of ecosystems' she launched a campaign in April 2010, thisisecocide.com. The Ecologist Magazine voted her one of the "Worlds Top 10 Visionary Thinkers," and she has been nominated "The Lawyer for Planet Earth" by the 2010 Performance Awards.

About this edition

• Publisher: Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0856832758
• ISBN 13: 9780856832758
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224