Jojo Mehta
Jojo co-founded Stop Ecocide in 2017, alongside barrister and legal pioneer the late Polly Higgins, to support the establishment of ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court.
As key spokesperson and Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International, Jojo has overseen the remarkable growth of the movement (teams in 15 countries, websites in 9 languages) while coordinating between legal developments, diplomatic traction and public narrative.
She is Chair of the charitable Stop Ecocide Foundation and convenor of the Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide chaired by Philippe Sands QC and Dior Fall Sow.
Jojo has a natural ability to connect and inspire, coupled with an unshakeable faith in the human imagination and capacity for positive change. This is reflected in the commitment and creativity of the teams that work with her, generating fertile collaborations with grassroots campaigns, international lawyers, politicians, diplomats and influencers.
This rapidly growing conversation means that recognition of ecocide as a crime is now emerging as a key potential solution to address the climate and ecological crisis.
Known for her clear and engaging communication, Jojo has contributed to law conferences, diplomatic events, environmental summits and climate rallies as well as podcasts, interviews and articles for publications and broadcasters ranging from TIME Magazine to the New York Times and from The Guardian to the BBC.
She was a keynote speaker at the official side event “Investigating and prosecuting ecocide: the current and future role of the ICC” in December 2019, hosted by the Republic of Vanuatu as part of the 18th Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. This Assembly saw Vanuatu call for member states to consider amending the ICC’s Rome Statute to include a crime of ecocide.
Jojo is a graduate of Oxford and London universities and has a background in communications, entrepreneurship and on-the-ground environmental campaigning.
514: Jojo Mehta: Ecocide: why you want this law more than you’ve imagined
First, I’m so used to talking to people who don’t act and try to convince themselves and others that individual actions don’t matter, I loved talking to someone inspiring a movement to change international law, making progress, and enjoying the process. If you like meeting people improving the world, you’ll love this episode.
If lowering Earth’s ability to sustain life is such a problem, why not just make it illegal? Problem solved, right?
It sounds too easy, or simplistic, too naive. Or does it? Genocide wasn’t once a crime and now is. Slavery wasn’t a crime and now is. Land mines were made illegal and the group to make it happen won a Nobel prize.
Making something illegal doesn’t end it. People still commit genocide. Slavery exists today, as do land mines. But so do theft and murder and I don’t hear anyone proposing making them legal. We want institutions of law enforcement and justice to help reduce them as much as possible.
I went from thinking the concept was a crazy distraction to supporting it quickly, which led me to find Jojo Mehta, co-founded Stop Ecocide in 2017, alongside barrister and legal pioneer the late Polly Higgins, to support the establishment of ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court. Today she’s the Executive Director and speaks on it internationally. I hope you also heard about it recently as the media have picked up on it.
In this episode, Jojo goes far beyond the history and goals of making ecocide globally illegal. She laughs within seconds of the episode starting and doesn’t let up. She shares her ebullient energy to act, to share her motivation and goals. You’ll feel motivated to act, beyond for yourself.
I love her leadership tip to start: find what outrages you most and act with what you love to do. Listen for her full explanation and examples.
Incidentally, the root eco- comes from the Greek, meaning home. Ecocide means destroying our home. Destroying our home is crazy. Or ignorant.