From Environmental War Crimes to Ecocide: Juliana Galindo and Héctor Herrera

The article From Environmental War Crimes to Ecocide: Lessons from Colombia’s Transitional Justice by Juliana Galindo and Héctor Herrera examines how Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace addresses environmental war crimes, offering lessons for defining and prosecuting ecocide. It highlights challenges in recognizing nature as a victim, assessing environmental harm, and proving perpetrators’ awareness. The tribunal’s approach signals a shift toward ecocentric justice influenced by Indigenous and Afro-Colombian perspectives. The full article is published in The International Journal of Human Rights and available on their website.

Juliana Galindo is a lawyer and political scientist specializing in justice-seeking strategies in Latin America. She holds an MA in Development Studies, an MA in Latin American Cultural Studies, and a specialization in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. She recently began her PhD at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Héctor Herrera is an environmental lawyer with a master’s in Public Policy from the National University of Colombia and a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Antwerp.

He has worked with local and international organizations, including AIDA, and coordinated Colombia’s Environmental Justice Network. His work connects research, policy, and advocacy on environmental and climate justice.

Héctor will be presenting the findings of the article at the upcoming conference on Ecocide, Human Rights and Environmental Justice in London as part of the panel on Accountability and Repair: Defining Justice for the Crime of Ecocide, chaired by Xuchen Zhang.

See Full Programme Here and register for the day and evening programme or the livestream.