Damage to the natural environment as a crime against humanity: prospects for changes to Art. 7 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court

Abstract

The article examines trends in revising the concept of crimes against humanity by adding signs of actions that include damage to the natural environment. It is established that the possibility of expanding the concept of crimes against humanity to include damage to the natural environment is based on criticism of the provisions of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of June 8, 1977 and the Statute of the International Criminal Court on damage to the natural environment only in the context of armed conflicts, and also about the signs of such damage as widespread, long-term and severe, which made it practically impossible to implement the norms of the mentioned acts. On such grounds, the position is substantiated that crimes against humanity that encroach on the natural environment should include environmental degradation, exploitation of natural resources, and other actions that lead to pollution or destruction of the environment or climate change. The processes of developing provisions on harming the natural environment as a crime against humanity, which are related to the policy of states or other government institutions, aimed at the exploitation of natural resources and the forced resettlement of the civilian population, are being studied. It is noted that the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is studying the possibility of revising the elements of crimes covered by the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and including directly those related to environmental damage. Proposals which are sent to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court are subject to registration in a single Policy Paper. The proposals of certain scientific andinternational non-governmental organizations regarding amendments to the Statute of the International Criminal Court are summarized, which include the introduction of the concept of crimes against humanity as a sign of an attack on the environment or its individual elements; addition to Art. 7 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court by the provisions on the commission of actions specified in items «a», «b», «d», «k» by committing damage to the natural environment, etc.