The Promise Institute
for Human Rights (Europe) News
We are excited to share the newly released Special Issue of The International Journal of Human Rights on Ecocide, Human Rights and Environmental Justice, edited by Kate Mackintosh, Lisa Oldring, Darryl Robinson and Damien Short.
The Special Issue emerges from a sustained conversation that has developed alongside the remarkable growth of scholarship, advocacy and law reform concerning ecocide over recent years.
The origins of this collection lie in the 2023 symposium convened by UCLA Law's The Promise Institute for Human Rights (Los Angeles), "An International Crime of Ecocide: New Perspectives", which brought together scholars from a wide range of disciplinary and geographical perspectives to explore the legal, philosophical and political questions raised by the emergence of ecocide as a proposed international crime.
Many of those early conversations have matured into the articles published here.
The articles are arranged around three themes: Corporations, Colonialism and Indigenous struggle; Accountability and Repair: Defining Justice for Ecocide and Human Rights and Environmental Stewardship. The collection serves as a resource for the scholars, advocates, practitioners and policymakers who are shaping the emerging field of ecocide law and the overarching challenge of environmental justice.
🌍A Fifth Crime of Ecocide: Opening Considerations
The recordings of this event are now available in English and French. They will soon be available in Spanish as well.
We are delighted to share the link to the recording of the incredible event organised by Stop Ecocide International, hosted by the Republic of Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and co-organised by Climate Counsel and the UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe.
The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion: A Potential Game-Changer for Climate Accountability
This December, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) begins hearings on a historic request for an advisory opinion on climate change.
These proceedings represent a pivotal moment for global climate governance, offering the potential to clarify States’ legal responsibilities to address the climate crisis.
In anticipation of this critical moment, our May conference brought together experts and advocates to explore the very issues now taking center stage in The Hague.
‘Ambition as a Benchmark’: The Fight for Climate Justice at the ICJ
“Since about four years ago, I can count the times we’ve been told that what we’re trying to do is too ambitious. But with the UNGA resolution adopted by consensus, and over 90 states’ and IO submissions before the ICJ, I guess ‘ambitious’ has become the benchmark for us. So if it seems too ambitious, that must be the way to go, precisely because what we need is more ambitious action.”
Nicole Ponce - Environmental and human rights lawyer-advocate
Legal recognition alone is not enough; it must lead to accountability and real-world solutions!
“The pending advisory opinions on climate change are excellent opportunities to reinforce the clear duties of States to protect the human rights of all people, without discrimination, against the devastating impacts of the climate crisis.”
-Volker Türk - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Small Island States and the Fight for Climate Justice
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are among the least responsible for climate change but face its most severe consequences, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, and even the existential threat of submersion. In response to this crisis and the international community’s inaction, COSIS was established in 2021 by Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu, later joined by other SIDS, to amplify their voices in international legal forums. COSIS aims to use international law to protect the rights of SIDS, holding States accountable for their obligations to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Rewriting Justice for a Burning Planet: ICC Deputy Prosecutor Khan on the Role of International Criminal Law
In a compelling keynote speech delivered at the UCLA Law Promise Institute Europe, Nazhat Shameem Khan explored the pivotal role international law must play in addressing the pressing ecological crises of our time. Her address emphasized the need for flexibility, innovation, and collective effort to adapt legal frameworks to the realities of environmental degradation and climate change.