Why I am Joining Stop Ecocide
Catalysing a New Civilization
As a futurist and former investor with nearly three decades advising leaders on global trends—from financial markets to technology, geopolitics, and culture—I’ve long observed humanity at an important crossroads.
I’m excited to announce that I’m joining the Advisory Board of Stop Ecocide International, an organization I have long respected, especially after its CEO, Jojo Mehta, sat on my panel about the future of civilization at the Horasis Global Meeting in 2023 on the edge of Mesopotamia. I see Stop Ecocide as a powerful catalyst in addressing the ecological crisis through a brilliant dual strategy: pushing for the universal legal recognition of ecocide as an international crime while simultaneously working with national governments to enact tailored ecocide laws. It is important work which my Embassy of the Future , representing the voice of the future, fully endorses.
"The Earth is in need of a good lawyer"
Polly Higgins, Co-Founder of Stop Ecocide
Stop Ecocide International is a global force with a bold ambition: to halt the mass destruction of ecosystems by making ecocide a recognized crime, both internationally and within nations. Founded by visionaries Polly Higgins (1968-2019) and Jojo Mehta, and now led by Jojo Mehta alone, the organization operates on two interconnected fronts. First, it advocates for amending the Rome Statute of the ICC to include ecocide as a fifth crime alongside genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. This effort crystallized in 2021 with a legal definition from an Independent Expert Panel convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation: “Ecocide means 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.” This universal standard aims to hold individuals—from CEOs to political leaders—accountable on a global stage.
But Stop Ecocide’s work doesn’t stop at the ICC. Recognizing that international law moves slowly, it also collaborates with national governments, parliamentarians, and local movements to craft ad hoc ecocide laws tailored to specific jurisdictions. This “bottom-up” approach accelerates change by embedding ecocide into domestic legal systems, creating a patchwork of accountability that pressures broader adoption. It engages diplomats at UN COPs, advises lawmakers on draft legislation, and builds cross-sector networks—connecting indigenous leaders, businesses, scientists, youth, and more—to amplify the conversation. Its website tracks legislative progress worldwide, from Scotland to Brazil, showing how it’s not just dreaming of a universal law but actively seeding it through national action.
In less than a decade, Stop Ecocide has shifted ecocide from a radical idea to a mainstream debate, with its dual-track strategy proving both pragmatic and visionary. It’s not waiting for global consensus—it’s building it, one country at a time, while keeping the ICC as the ultimate prize.
Developments in Ecocide Laws Globally: A Two-Way Momentum
The concept of ecocide isn’t new—it was coined by biologist Arthur Galston in 1970 (echoed at the first UN Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 by Swedish PM Olof Palme) to decry Vietnam War devastation—but its legal traction has surged since 2019, when Polly Higgins sadly passed away. The Ecologist Magazine described her as "one of the world’s top ten visionary thinkers" for her pioneering work on ecocide law.
Stop Ecocide has been a catalyst for change, and as of March 2025, the global landscape reflects its dual influence: national laws are proliferating, and international support is growing.
Nationally, the movement is gaining ground fast. Belgium led Europe in 2024 by embedding ecocide in its penal code, with penalties of up to 20 years for individuals and hefty fines for corporations. France’s 2021 Climate Law introduced ecocide-like offenses, while countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam have long had domestic versions (Ukraine is now actively using its version of the law). Scotland’s parliament is debating an ecocide bill, and Peru has consolidated multiple proposals into one. Brazil’s PSOL party advanced an ecocide law in 2023, and Mexico, Italy, and the Netherlands are among the many nations now exploring similar measures. Stop Ecocide supports these efforts, connecting government actors with relevant legal expertise and model laws—like the 2021 definition—to ensure consistency while allowing local adaptation. This “bottom-up” wave shows that forward-looking governments are actively responding to local ecological crises, often with Stop Ecocide’s support.
Internationally, the push for a universal ecocide crime is accelerating. Vanuatu and the Maldives ignited the ICC conversation in 2019, and formally proposed an amendment to the Rome Statute in September 2024 with two other Pacific Ocean states, Fiji and Samoa, supported shortly thereafter by the Democratic Republic of Congo—Africa’s first formal backer. The EU’s 2024 directive criminalizing acts “comparable to ecocide” set a regional precedent, while figures like Pope Francis, Greta Thunberg, and UN Chief Antonio Guterres have endorsed the cause. Stop Ecocide’s diplomatic work—hosting side events at UN conferences and the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties and partnering with states like Vanuatu—keeps the Rome Statute amendment alive. With dozens of ICC member states now discussing ecocide at parliamentary or government levels, the organization’s advocacy is bridging national wins to a global framework.
This dual momentum—national laws feeding into international ambition—demonstrates Stop Ecocide’s strategic genius. It’s not just chasing a top-down ICC victory; it’s building a groundswell that makes it inevitable.
"Her (Polly Higgins) solution of criminalizing ecocide felt so intuitive, like a clear and simple solution." Jojo Mehta, CEO
The ecological crisis—climate chaos, biodiversity collapse, ecosystem ruin—is a polycrisis demanding systemic and holistic answers. Traditional tools like regulations or carbon pricing are fragmented and weak, easily dodged by powerful actors. Ecocide laws, pursued both nationally and internationally, offer a unified, potent alternative, and Stop Ecocide’s approach maximizes their impact.
The elegance lies in their clarity and adaptability. The 2021 definition provides a universal threshold—“severe and either widespread or long-term damage”—that’s simple yet flexible, allowing nations to tailor it to local needs, from Amazon deforestation to North Sea oil spills. Crucially, by imposing personal liability on senior decision-makers, it pierces the veil of impunity that often shields corporate executives and government ministers. This shift in accountability—from faceless corporations and opaque government ministries to the “controlling minds” behind the harm—creates a deterrent with teeth. Nationally, this can be implemented swiftly, as Belgium and France show, while the ICC offers a backstop for transboundary crimes.
Effectiveness comes from scale and synergy. National laws, supported by Stop Ecocide’s expertise, can protect local ecosystems now—think Scotland safeguarding its peatlands or Brazil its rainforests—while building political will for ICC adoption. Once enshrined globally, ecocide law would close loopholes exploited by multinationals, safeguard carbon sinks like oceans, and deter emerging threats like deep-sea mining. The interplay between these levels creates a virtuous cycle: each national win strengthens the case for a universal standard, which in turn reinforces domestic enforcement.
Philosophically, this aligns with my belief in humanity’s need to revere Gaia, the living Earth. Ecocide laws, whether national or international, signal that mass environmental harm is as grave as genocide—a moral and legal line in the sand. This could spark a cultural shift, pushing businesses toward sustainability and governments toward stewardship. Stop Ecocide’s dual strategy ensures this isn’t just a distant dream but a practical, unfolding reality.
Catalysing the Dawn of a New Civilization: Why I’m Joining Stop Ecocide
Although AI gets all the airtime currently, and as important as it is, I think the even bigger revolution is the end of industrial civilization and the dawn of an ecological civilization—an event more significant than the Industrial Revolution in 1712 and probably as significant as the birth of so-called civilization 10,000 years ago.
An ecological civilization, as envisioned by David Korten, Jeremy Lent, myself, and others, is defined by traits that harmonize humanity with Earth’s living systems. Korten (The Great Turning) champions a shift from extractive, profit-driven economies to localized, regenerative systems that prioritize “Sacred Life and Living Earth” over “Sacred Money and Markets.” It’s cooperative, mimicking nature’s resilience through community stewardship. Lent (The Patterning Instinct) adds systems thinking: it’s holistic, recognizing humanity’s embeddedness in natural cycles, fostering adaptability and balance.
As David Korten asserts, it’s a civilization where “we live as if future generations matter.” Lent sees it thriving through interconnectedness, while I envision it blending ancient rhythms with future tools—a living, adaptive society ensuring Earth’s flourishing for all. It is a civilization which echoes the voices of the indigenous wisdom which kept humanity in harmony with nature for millenia.
For 30 years, we have been holding climate talks under the COP framework and also looking at economic mechanisms to slow down the ecological crisis. But the legal and judicial systems might be the least corrupt and most powerful tools in moving us forward.
Of course the law is not the only approach to saving our planet and ourselves. We must absolutely do the necessary inner work to develop more conscious leadership and to imagineer a new Gaian civilization which our hearts and souls know is possible. This is the work of my own institution, the Embassy of the Future. However, I think the ecocide laws promoted by Stop Ecocide will be an important catalyst in creating this new world, which, like our ancient, long-lost ancestors, reveres Mother Earth.