LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Damaging vital life-support systems must be criminalized

To the Editor:

Destruction of life-support systems in making profits has become a major threat to life on earth – both humans and wildlife.

The evidence is compelling and irrefutable:

— Species extinctions are about a thousand times the normal rate.

— Premature deaths and chronic illnesses related to heat, toxic materials, and invasive species spread by global commerce are rampant. The World Health Organization and World Bank estimate environmental-related human deaths at 10 million annually.

— Marine and land-based food supplies are at escalating risk, posing grave threat of famine deaths in the billions. Recent reports of spiking ocean temperatures that are destroying fishery habitats, combined with crops ruined by drought and flooding, foreshadow a colossal plummet in food security.

Yet, many opportunistic businesses still negligently benefit by releasing harmful pollutants – including plastics, chemicals, and heat-trapping emissions – into the world’s atmosphere and waters. Routine waste-dumping by ocean-going vessels remains a disastrous practice, and despite overwhelming evidence of their destructive impacts, burning fossil-fuels is a severely worsening problem, causing at least a trillion dollars in damages annually.

Accordingly, the U.S. must adopt rigorous, well-enforced safeguards by applying principles featured in the European Union’s law defining and authorizing punishment for the crime of ecocide. Ecocide is defined as “unlawful … acts committed with knowledge that there is … substantial likelihood of severe and … widespread or long-term damage to the environment.” Imprisonment of up to 10 years can be imposed for committing ecocide.

Conscientiously criminalizing and prosecuting gross environmental recklessness is urgent to protecting Earth’s severely threatened ecosystems.

David Kyler

St. Simons Island

David Kyler is executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast.