‘Ecocide’, a term that has been used for decades to describe widespread environmental harm caused by human actions, has come into prominence as global conflicts disrupt entire ecologies . Environmental groups have called for the inclusion of the term as one of the international crimes under the Rome Statute that governs the International Criminal Court (ICC). But severe environmental damage is already covered under international law. So why the push? The reason lies in focus, scope and effect. Here’s a look at what ‘ecocide’ means and why the term matters. Ecocide refers to the very worst harms caused to the environment by human actions, usually on a major industrial scale or affecting a huge area. The term was coined in 1970 by Prof Arthur W Galston — a Yale plant biologist whose early research contributed to the development of Agent Orange — to describe massive, long-term environmental devastation, particularly caused by the herbicide’s use in the Vietnam War.…