The Millennium Project Releases
2002 State of the Future ReportREPORT CONCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES IN MILITARY ACTIONS UNLIKELY TO BE PROSECUTED IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)
AC/UNU Millennium Project Report Published by the US Army Environmental Policy Institute Investigates Possibility of International Criminal Liability for Environmental Damage During Military Action
Washington, DC – Sept. 9, 2002 – The Millennium Project, an international think tank comprising more than 1,000 futurists, scholars, business leaders, scientists and policymakers from more than 50 countries, acting under the auspices of the American Council for the United Nations University (AC/UNU), today announced that its report about environmental crimes in military actions and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been published by the US Army Environmental Policy Institute, and is now available. Entitled “Environmental Crimes in Military Actions and the International Criminal Court (ICC) – United Nations Perspectives,” the report examines a range of perceptions within the United Nations Secretariat and selected UN missions, as well as academic and non-governmental organizations. The report is also available as part of the Project’s recently-released 2002 State of the Future report.
Conducted for the US Army Environmental Policy Institute by the Millennium Project, the study examines a range of perceptions within the UN Secretariat, selected UN Missions and relevant academic and non-governmental organizations (NGO) communities about the possibilities of environmental damage during military action becoming a criminal liability for military personnel and/or their contractors in the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is not a study of the full ramifications of the ICC concept.
The report concludes that there is no intention in the UN and UN Missions to prosecute environmental crimes due to military actions in the ICC. No plausible scenarios of military action were found that would lead to ICC cases of environmental crime.
The report provides a list of the factors that would have to come into play for prosecution to happen, as well as a number of scenarios that trace probable actions by the ICC in case of environmental damages. The bar is set very high for prosecution; the one paragraph that refers to environmental damages – article 8(2)(b)(iv) – stating that for the purpose of the Rome Statute, "war crimes" means: “Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects or widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated.”
“While our findings indicate that it would be highly improbable that there will be any prosecutions for environmental crimes due to military actions in the ICC, one cannot say that it is certain that no peace-keeper or unilateral military personnel could be charged with environmental crimes and tried by the International Criminal Court. But there can be, under the existing Statute, no ironclad guarantee,” explained Jerry Glenn, Millennium Project director.
“This careful and imaginative example of AC/UNU's work in evaluating potential impacts of major issues is of immense help to us. The AC/UNU helps us reliably fulfill our obligation to look ahead and around the corner to understand emerging environmental issues in their many facets. This International Criminal Court study, as well as others, provides not only ideas for near-term consideration, but serves as a long-lived and unique compilation of expert opinions and reference material not available from other sources. The combination of in-the-box and out-of-the-box discussions aids greatly in viewing facts and beliefs in a balanced context,” stated Robert E. Jarrett, Army Environmental Policy Institute.
About the Millennium Project
The Millennium Project is a worldwide think tank comprising more than 1,000 futurists, scholars, business leaders, scientists and policymakers from more than 50 countries, acting under the auspices of the American Council for the United Nations University. The Millennium Project is dedicated to exploring global futures by interviewing and surveying individuals at corporations, universities, NGO's, UN organizations, and governments to understand world change and to identify actions to reach the best possible future for humanity as a whole. In addition to its flagship “State of the Future” report, the Millennium Project also produces studies in other specialized areas, including counter-terrorism strategies, future issues of science and technology, environmental security, United Nations Millennium Summit analysis, early warning and decision making, long-range goals for governance, “African Futures 2025” and “Future Research Methodology.” The Millennium Project's work has been recognized by leading organizations and has been named one of the best foresight organizations by the US Department of Energy, is annually selected among “Top Picks” by the Future Survey, and is recognized as one of the leading “Best Practices” by United Nations Habitat. For further information, call +01-202-686-5179; email acunu@igc.org or visit www.StateOfTheFuture.org.
About the US Army Environmental Policy Institute
The mission of US Army Environmental Policy Institute (AEPI) is to assist the US Army Secretariat in developing proactive policies and strategies to address environmental issues that may have significant future impacts on the Army. In the execution of this mission, AEPI is further tasked with the identification and assessment of the potential impacts on the Army of emerging environmental issues and trends.
About the International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC), which now has 79 state parties, came into force on July 1, 2002 and will try individuals accused of committing genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The Court exercises its authority only if the home country of the impeached does not want to prosecute. The court does not have retroactive jurisdiction.
The Millennium Project Releases
2002 State of the Future ReportWASHINGTON, DC – July 22, 2002 – The Millennium Project, an international think tank comprising more than 1,000 futurists, scholars, business leaders, scientists and policymakers from more than 50 countries, acting under the auspices of the American Council for the United Nations University, today announced the release of its “2002 State of the Future” report.
This annual report provides an assessment of the global situation and future trends; normative, exploratory, and long-range scenarios, and annotated bibliographies of hundreds of scenarios; as well as special studies on future issues of science and technology, environmental security, and an in-depth analysis of international policies and goals.
The report consists of a series of executive summaries in 100 pages accompanied by a CD-ROM of approximately 2,000 pages with complete details of the Millennium Project’s cumulative work since 1996. The cost of the report is $49.98.
The Millennium Project’s “State of the Future” report addresses the international situation on 15 global challenges, with sensitivity to regional perspectives, prospects for the future, policies and actions to address them, as well as indicators to measure progress. These include: sustainable development, water, population and resources, democratization, global, long-term policymaking, the globalization of information technology, the rich-poor gap, threats to health, decision making capacities, conflict resolution, improving women's status, transnational crime, energy, science and technology and global ethics.
The Millennium Project also produces the annual “State of the Future Index.” This comprehensive index aims to measure world progress on the 15 global challenges addressed in the “State of the Future” report. Based on historical data of key indicators and analysis of trends, it quantitatively forecasts whether the future promises to be better or worse.
The Millennium Project is overseen by an International Planning Committee A planning committee of 37 members from 21 countries oversees the Project's direction. The Project’s administrative principals are director Jerome C. Glenn, senior fellow Theodore J. Gordon, and director of research Elizabeth Florescu. The Washington, DC, office of the Millennium Project acts as its coordinating and publishing facility,
“The AC/UNU's Millennium Project on the State of the Future combines, as it should, flights of imagination into the far future with tightly focused analyses of present challenges,” commented Michael W. Doyle, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations, about the report. “It is an indispensable volume for those who seek both the inspiration and enlightenment needed to meet the challenges that will make a productive future possible.”
About the Millennium Project
The Millennium Project is a worldwide think tank comprising more than
1,000 futurists, scholars, business leaders, scientists and policymakers
from more than 50 countries, acting under the auspices of the American
Council for the United Nations University. The Millennium Project is dedicated
to exploring global futures by interviewing and surveying individuals at
corporations, universities, NGO's, UN organizations, and governments to
understand world change and to identify actions to reach the best possible
future for humanity as a whole. In addition to its flagship “State of the
Future” report, The Millennium Project also produces studies in other specialized
areas, including counter terrorism strategies, science and technology,
environmental security, United Nations Millennium Summit analysis, early
warning and decision making, long-range goals for governance, “African
Futures 2025” and “Future Research Methodology.” The Millennium Project's
work has been recognized by leading organizations and has been named one
of the best foresight organizations by the US Department of Energy, is
selected among “Top Picks” by the Future
Survey, and is recognized as one of the “Best Practices” by United
Nations Habitat. For further information, call +01-202-686-5179;
email acunu@igc.org or visit www.StateOfTheFuture.org.
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