Wildfires in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Russia, Algeria and the United States have killed thousands of animals in the last two weeks. Governments are linking the intense wildfires to climate change.
Bears, deer, squirrels, birds, insects and other animals died in forests. In some videos shared on social media, you can hear animals screaming in pain and despair from the fires.
More than 263,000 hectares (650,000 acres) of land burned down in Greece killing, destroying farms and killing farm animals.
Who’s held responsible for all these deaths and destruction of nature. We’re talking to Jojo Mehta, co-founder of Stop Ecocide, an organisation who’s trying to make ecocide an international crime, the same as war crimes and genocide.
The draft international law defines ecocide as “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts”.
With this law, countries and companies could be held accountable if their actions would damage the environment.
The Animal Reader is an animal news organization. We need your help to continue reporting on animal welfare and animal rights. If you can, please consider supporting our work.
