Keith Tyrell, Why We Need To Combat Ecocide Internationally

Ecocide is defined as the destruction of large areas of the natural environment especially as a result of deliberate human action. Last December, the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal met in Bangalore to hear cases brought against 6 multinational agrochemical companies: Syngenta, Bayer, Dow, Monsanto, Du Pont and BASF ­– for violating human rights by promoting reliance on the sale and use of pesticides known to undermine internationally recognized rights to health, livelihood and life. During the course of the tribunal, Pesticide Action Network brought forward witnesses including scientists, medical doctors, and lawyers, to prove the charges through expert testimony on pesticides, genetic engineering, intellectual property rights, and presented testimony from farmers, farm workers, beekeepers, mothers, young people, scientists and consumers from around the world. After hearing all the evidence, the Tribunal issued found the“...six MNCs responsible for gross, widespread and systematic violations of the right to health and life, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as of civil and political rights, and women and children’s right.” The Tribunal also finds these corporations responsible for their systematic conduct resulting in violation of indigenous peoples’ human rights and other entitlements. In addition, the Tribunal further finds that their systematic acts of corporate governance have caused avoidable catastrophic risks, increasing the prospects of extinction of biodiversity, including species whose continued existence is necessary for reproduction of human life. The Tribunal recommends that national governments must take action. On March 30th, PAN UK will hold its annual Rachel Carson Memorial Lecture which will emphasize the urgent need to create a new international law combating ecocide. Tune in as host, June Stoyer talks to Dr. Keith Tyrell, Director of PAN, UK