WHY ECOCIDE CRIMES ARE CRIMES OF RECKLESSNESS

CA is working towards a healthy world. Here we can learn more from Polly Higgins @ EradicatingEcocide.com

"It used to be that ecocide was a crime of consequence per se, but now this is no longer the case.

Every crime is defined by its elements – what lawyers call Mens Rea and Actus Reus (the state of mind and the act). Since the Paris Agreement, we have a situation where the Mens Rea in ecocide crime is that of recklessness, i.e disregarding available information and proceeding/or failing to prevent, regardless of knowledge. (We know that in very few cases of ecocide is there an actual intent to harm). However no decision-maker can now claim ignorance of the potential harm resulting from dangerous industrial activity or failure to prevent it. This will be a key factor in international acceptance of ecocide as a crime.... {read more}"

#environment #ecocide #politics #law