The Future of “Ecocide” as the Fifth Crime in International Law in the Context of Environmental Security

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Çomak H.

JOURNAL OF MEHMET AKIF ERSOY UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES FACULTY, cilt.13, sa.1, ss.50-69, 2026 (ESCI, TRDizin)

Özet

After the Cold War, the approach to international security in IR shifted, highlighting that harmony in the global system relies on various actors and conditions. In this context, new security perception approaches have emerged and are now analyzed through five sectors instead of a realistic perspective. According to the five-sector analysis approach introduced by the Copenhagen School, security studies now include not only military but also political, economic, environmental, and social elements. While significant strides have been made in enhancing environmental security ongoing environmental challenges and their associated impacts suggest that these initiatives cannot find enough support in the international juridical system. For this reason, the concept of “ecocide” was developed by international actors, which many countries included in their legal systems with a further aim of preventing crimes against the environment by taking its place in international law with the scope of enhancing international security. This study aims to explore the implications of the concept of "ecocide" within the international legal system, particularly in relation to environmental security and emerging security frameworks and its impact on international security. The research utilizes a document analysis method to achieve this goal. Given the importance of the subject matter, this study is poised to make a meaningful contribution to humanity by offering insights into the preventability of environmental pollution, a pressing threat to the environment, and therefore to international security.