This term refers to a general deterioration of the environment in a certain area, with a level of damage so wide that it can put into question the lives of those who live in that particular area, this type of damage can be irreparable when in a particular habitat or ecosystem it suffers destruction that exceeds its capacity to regenerate itself. Generally, this type of action is linked to living external agents, which can affect the life of the species in an area. Another agent that greatly promotes ecocide is large- scale pollution, an example of this is that produced by industrial waste, or that caused by the use of chemical substances in theland.
This term has its origin in the Vietnam War, when the use of chemicals such as the famous agent orange, produced serious irreparable damage, by destroying entire forest ecosystems, not to mention the contamination of water and the use of chemicals against it. the inhabitants of the region. All this situation encouraged the international community to create international tribunals, in order that such actions were tried and sentenced, in order to avoid damage to the environment.
The consequences of an ecocide can become catastrophic, an example of this is reflected in what was the civilization that in ancient times populated the so-called Easter Island, dedicated itself to devastate everything that will be found in its path, without before measure the result of this, since as the population increased, food production had to increase in the same way, reaching a point where resources began to be scarce, since soils became infertile and animal species they became extinct, causing an era of hunger for its inhabitants, all this resulted in the extinction almost in its entirety of life on said island.
It is for this reason that since 1970 have started a series of campaigns so that the so - called Rome Statute jurisdiction reformed, so that he would include ecocide a crime against peace. Those who defend this proposal affirm that it is important since it proposes to protect human rights, however there are those who oppose it, since they affirm that it would be criminalizing the entire human being. In 2010 the University of London proposed to the UN that ecocide be included as a crime against humanity.
