Young generations are disproportionately affected by the mass-destruction of our natural world. During our lifetimes, we will face the ever-worsening consequences of biodiversity and climate breakdown. Youth for Ecocide Law was founded in 2021, in response to growing frustration among global youth over the lack of action to address these crises. We call for clear legal guardrails to hold political and corporate decision-makers accountable when they cause severe and widespread or long-term harm to our futures.
The Y4EL network was officially founded around the Stockholm+50 International Meeting, where The Global Youth Position Paper for S+50 included a call to: “Recognize large scale environmental destruction, ecocide, as a punishable crime in domestic laws and in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.”
Since then, Y4EL has grown exponentially. We represent the youth constituency within an intergenerational, global movement to criminalize ecocide. Our ambitions are to empower youth voices in the environmental movement; to build bridges between civil society, young people, the UN policy process, corporate decision-making, and government policy; and to promote intergenerational respect. Our network meets monthly to discuss ecocide law, build capacity, organize mobilizations, plan events, and more!
Young people need to lead the way, because it is our future that hangs in the balance at high-level environmental decision-making tables.
Thus, we call upon all governments to support the implementation of an international ecocide law.
Read: Y4EL & GARN Youth Hub COP16 & COP29 Position Statement
Young people around the globe often hear that they represent the future.
However, we are not just the future: we are the present, and we are leading the charge.
Read: Ecocide Law and the Rights of the Child
How legal recognition of the most severe harms to nature could protect children’s rights.
Get involved: Youth for Ecocide Law Digital Toolkit
Young generations, though least responsible, are set to feel the greatest impacts of the climate and ecological crisis we face. But as young people, we refuse to simply be victims of environmental breakdown.
We are critical drivers of urgency, solutions, and hope.
Read articles in partnership with WYCJ:
Laila Martins (Y4EL) raises important issues that are integral to both youth campaigns while answering questions posed by Maëlle Blacharz (WYCJ).
WYCJ’s Maëlle Blacharz and Aditi Shetye talk about the importance of youth participation while answering questions raised by Laila Martins (Y4EL).
Why ecocide law?
An international crime of ecocide will create a global safety rail - a legal force-field which could stop severe harms to nature and help direct government policy, banking, investment and insurance away from dangerous practices and towards a safe and peaceful future on a healthy planet.
It would also mean that key decision makers; CEOs, government ministers etc, whose decisions threaten severe environmental harm, could be held personally accountable and face criminal charges.
Find out more here: Making ecocide a crime
Webinars, events and conversations all centered around making ecocide a crime.
Key developments and milestones from countries all over the world.
GET IN TOUCH
Co-Lead Youth for Ecocide Law
Léa Weimann is an eco-activist and poet. She became a Youth Ambassador for Stop Ecocide after the historic Stockholm+50 Conference and was the Youth for Ecocide Law Spokesperson at COP27.
Co-Lead Youth for Ecocide Law
Debbie Buyaki’s backgrounds are in Criminal Justice, Criminology and International Law, but she goes by many hats. Her recent preference has been that of a tree planter, founding a project that now covers six of the seven continents.
ENDORSING PARTNERS:
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Stop Ecocide International is delighted to collaborate with Youth For Ecocide Law on this initiative
and support with resources wherever appropriate.