Criminalise Ecocide

Mia Mottley (right), Prime Minister of Barbados had explained in her opening speech at COP26, island nations are now facing a death sentence.

She called for more funding to small island nations on the frontlines of climate change. She added that failure to do so is "measured in lives and livelihoods". 

"If our existence is to mean anything, then we must act in the interest of all of our people who are dependent on us", Mottley said.

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate (left) in her book "A Bigger Picture: My Fight To Bring A New African Voice To The Climate Crisis" had noted that species are going extinct at a rate greater than the time of the dinosaurs. 

The above illustrate the gravity of the climate emergency. 

Therefore, it is interesting to read about a solution to break the climate impasse because governments and companies are clearly not doing enough to protect the planet. That solution is to get “ecocide” recognized as a serious crime in international law. 

The word ecocide combines the Greek “oikos”, meaning house/home (and later understood to mean habitat/environment), with “cide”, meaning to kill. It literally means “killing one’s home”. 

In legal terms, ecocide is defined as “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts”. 

Criminalising ecocide would give everyone on this planet the ability to hold governments and companies to account for starting or continuing with the extraction of fossil fuels. It is said that an ecocide law could give us a fighting chance to save our future. 

The target is the biggest polluters on our planet, the 20 or so companies – the Chevrons, Exxons, BPs and Shells of this world – who are responsible for a third of all carbon emissions. 

If ecocide were to be criminalised, it is not only about punishing mass polluters for the damage they are causing, but also prevent the advent of new fossil fuel companies and projects. This can slow down our fossil fuel consumption as we transition to green energy. In a world where ecocide is a crime, not species but exploitative profit-driven fossil fuel companies will become extinct.

As Farhana Yamin (left), environmental lawyer and participant in climate negotiations for more than 30 years, explained in her Manifesto for Justice for COP26 and Beyond, “the atmosphere, ocean, soils and forests don’t get to negotiate. Smaller countries and Indigenous people are nature’s custodians. Mother Earth may be mentioned in the Paris Agreement, but she lacks any legal standing”. 

COP26 is now over, but what enforceability is there in place to prevent corporations and states from breaking commitments made? There is a gaping black hole of accountability and enforcement. A law on ecocide could just fill that hole. 

I don't necessarily disagree with the above arguments. They make sense but the advocates and promoters of 'ecocide' make it such a simplistic proposition.

We forget governments must buy into it and right now, I don’t believe countries dependent on fossil fuels are ready to agree. And I’ve not begun to talk about the insidious power fossil fuel companies have over governments. The political and economic reality just won’t cut it and it won’t allow for ‘ecocide’. 

Although they struggled to find the net, Liverpool still managed a tight 1-0 win, thanks to Mohamed Salah’s penalty in the sixty-seventh minute to beat Aston Villa in the Premier League. 

The Reds weren't at their very best yesterday – but what's important is the 3 points.

Omicron Jitters

New cases of Omicron infection have since been identified in Australia, Canada and a host of other European countries like Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. 

Many Asia-Pacific countries have tightened borders and delayed reopening plans, dealing a fresh blow to the region’s already sluggish resumption of international travel. 

And some countries are even shutting their borders as health experts continue to study the latest Covid variant. Over the weekend, Israel and Morocco announced that the countries are closed to all non-residents. On Monday, Japan banned all foreigners from entering the country. And today, it’s China Hong Kong’s turn. 

Fears over the Omicron Covid variant mean all UK adults will now be offered a third dose of Covid vaccine, either Pfizer or Moderna. And the gap between second and third doses will be halved from six to three months.

Dr. Angelique Coetzee (left), a doctor and chair of South African Medical Association and one of the first to flag Omicron said on Sunday that the coronavirus strain's symptoms were so far mild and could be treated at home. 

No need to panic. Yet.

After 396 years, the sun has set on the British monarchy’s reign over the Caribbean island of Barbados – and Monday marked the birth of the world’s newest republic. 

It’s about time they dumped the Queen!