(Ecofin Agency) - On Sept 15, 2016, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda said in a policy paper on “priorities in selecting cases” that destruction of environment and land grabbing will from now on be considered as crimes against humanity. With this move, multinationals’ impunity should come to an end.

“The International Criminal Courtwill give particular consideration to crimes involving environmental destruction, land grabbing and illegal exploitation of natural resources, a specific look at crimes involving or causing ecological damages, illegal exploitation of natural resources,” Bensouda stated in the paper. Helen Brady, senior appeals counsel in the prosecutor’s office told AFP that the ICC “was not adding” new crimes to those already listed in the Rome Statute. “What we’re acknowledging is an emphasis. This focus will move the ICC to become an international criminal court for the 21^st century and beyond”, she said adding that “it does send a powerful message and is something that could be listened to be would-be perpetrators”.

As surprising as it may look, this decision was approved by many organizations for environmental protection and defense of rights of local communities. “Land grabbing has nothing to envy to war when it comes to its impact on civilians. ICC’s announcement should send a signal to firms’ chiefs and investors who can no more see the environment as hunting grounds,” Alice Harrison from NGO Global Witness told L’Express.

Global Witness’ chief, Gillian Caldwell, however believes the announcement will discourage the practice. “The decision by ICC shows that the age of impunity is coming to an end. Company bosses and politicians complicit in violently seizing land, razing tropical forests or poisoning water sources could soon find themselves standing trial in the Hague alongside war criminals and dictators,” she said

Often labeled as partial and inefficient, the La Haye-based court, which until now has focused on genocide actors and war criminals (African mostly), has decided to turn its attention to the protection of the environment.

After the announcement, lawyers sent the prosecutor a case regarding a land acquisition in Cambodia.

Souha Touré