This Benjamin Ferencz lecture, organised in cooperation with the International Humanitarian and Criminal Law Platform, T.M.C. Asser Press and the Sustainable Global Economic Law research project at the University of Amsterdam, celebrates The Hague launch of a timely new book on the topic, entitled Ecocide: Criminalising Serious Harm against the Environment.
On 8 March 2026, Iran’s Vice President and head of the Department of Environment, Shina Ansari, described strikes on Tehran’s oil depots as “ecocide”. Increasingly, the term is being used to describe serious harm against the environment. More importantly, efforts are being made around the world to criminalise ecocide, at both the national and international level. For example, on 9 September 2024, Vanuatu introduced a proposal co-sponsored by Fiji and Samoa to amend the Rome Statute of the ICC to include an independent crime of ecocide.
The book explores the concept of ecocide and critically assesses how the criminalisation of serious harm against the environment fits within international criminal law broadly construed. To this end, the book’s chapters address four key questions: what constitutes ecocide, how can it be prosecuted, where should it be prosecuted, and who are its perpetrators and victims?
After a presentation by the editors, the lecture will feature responses by an academic, Dr. Daniel Bertram, a practitioner, Barbara van Straaten, and a campaigner, Lammert van Raan.
The evening will be closed with a network reception.
Speakers
- Dr. Christophe Paulussen, Senior researcher, T.M.C. Asser Institute
- Dr. Stavros Evdokimos Pantazopoulos, Teaching Fellow, School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- Dr. Laura Burgers, Assistant Professor, Amsterdam Centre for Transformative Private Law, University of Amsterdam
- Merle Kooijman MA, Ph.D. Researcher and Lecturer, Amsterdam Center for Criminal Justice, University of Amsterdam
- Dr. Daniel Bertram, Postdoc, Leiden University
- Barbara van Straaten, Criminal Defence Lawyer, Prakken d'Oliveira Human Rights Lawyers
- Lammert van Raan, Ecocide Campaigner and Former Member of the Dutch Parliament (Party for the Animals)
- Inge Klompmakers, Publisher T.M.C. Asser Press
About the organising strand
In the public interest: accountability of the state and the prosecution of crimes
This research strand examines the accountability of states, both individually and collectively (e.g., the United Nations or the European Union), in light of public interest standards in the context of counter-terrorism. Moreover, this strand looks into the prosecution of individuals for international and transnational crimes in the public interest.
Finally, to ensure both the accountability of states and the prosecution of individuals for international and transnational crimes in the public interest, this research strand also investigates the role of journalists, digital media, human rights NGOs, and academics in protecting and promoting public interest standards.
Contact
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