The concept of ecocide is not new, but since 2021 it has a legal definition: “any unlawful or arbitrary act that is committed knowingly with a large probability of causing damage to the environment, which could be serious, extensive, and/or long-lasting.”
According to experts, the consequences of ecocides are enormous, affecting both nature and people. In the environment, they cause soil impoverishment, loss of biodiversity, destruction of ecosystems, and aggravation of climate change.
Origin and meaning of ecocide
If we analyze the etymology of the word “ecocide,” its meaning is evident. It derives from the Greek root “Eco,” which means “house,” and from the Latin suffix “cide” from “caedere,” which means “to kill.”
It can also be considered a combination of the words “ecosystem” and “genocide.” Therefore, the crime of ecocide implies the massive destruction of part or all of an ecosystem.
Causes of ecocide
All ecological abuses stem from human activities. To maintain a certain standard of living, the environment is destroyed in exchange for exclusive benefits to humanity. The main activities that could be classified as ecocide are:
- Massive deforestation
- Overfishing
- Chemical and oil spills
- Mining
- Oil extraction
- Pollution
- Chemical weapons
- Nuclear tests and radioactivity
- Trafficking of protected species
- Illegal waste dumping or disposal
- Industries in general
Examples of ecocide
Ecocides have an economic basis, and both entrepreneurs and politicians are often behind these damages. According to the report by the NGO Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in 2017, 100 companies, mainly oil companies, were responsible for 71% of greenhouse gas emissions globally between 1988 and 2015.
Highlighted examples of ecocide include:
Oil exploitation in the Amazon
Between 1964 and 1992, Chevron Texaco drilled oil wells, causing leaks and contaminating water, poisoning thousands of indigenous people and causing irreversible damage to the environment.
Oil spills
Shipwrecks like the Erika, the Amoco Cadiz, the Prestige, and the Deepwater Horizon have caused spills that contaminate coasts and affect fauna and flora, compromising the food chain and the marine ecosystem.
Deforestation
Tree felling in the Amazon, Indonesia, and Malaysia for the paper industry and other uses has led to the loss of biodiversity and the capacity to absorb CO2, exacerbating global warming.
Aral Sea
This used to be the largest internal sea in the world and is located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Aral Sea disappeared in just 50 years because cotton was cultivated on its shores.
Between the water loss that salinized it and the agrochemicals, life disappeared from this huge lake, of which only 10% remains today and is practically dead. The Mar Menor in southern Spain will suffer the same fate if urgent measures are not taken to stop its evident deterioration.
Nuclear accidents
Fukushima and Chernobyl are the two most prominent nuclear accidents in history. The toxic particles released in the explosions spread worldwide. But among those who lived closest, cancer rates soared, along with malformations and serious harm to nature.
The areas around the nuclear power plants are still uninhabitable due to their high levels of radioactivity, making the event a full-fledged ecocide.
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