Preventing ecocide: How a law PhD can protect the environment

“It's been impossible to recognise environmental crimes – ecocide – at an international stage due to a lot of factors, such as political and economic interests,” says law PhD candidate Michael Uche Ukponu.

Michael’s PhD research explores regionalism as a pathway to recognising ecocide under international criminal law. Ecocide refers to egregious and possibly irreversible damage to the environment. It is often widespread and long-lasting, such as oil spills.

Michael argues that the definition should also include greenhouse gas emissions.

“We've gotten to a point where the climate crisis is existential. And there's a role for hard law to play in ensuring environmental sustainability,” he says.

Some countries have their own serious environmental crime laws. But Michael says they aren’t enough. The difficulty is that an ecocidal act in one country can have ecocidal consequences in countries much further away.

But regional laws might create a pathway for prohibiting serious environmental crimes at an international level. For example, Europe expanded its environmental crime directive in February 2024 to include greenhouse gas emissions in its list of environmental crimes. And an African regional law has criminalised the transportation of hazardous wastes and the illicit exploitation of natural resources, which are examples of ecocide-level environmental crimes.

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Choosing a PhD at the University of Melbourne

Michael moved to Australia from Nigeria in 2018 on the Australia Awards Scholarship, which is sponsored by the Australian government. He applied to complete a Master of Energy and Resources Law.

“I was amongst 22 successful applicants amongst, I think, almost 1000 applicants in Nigeria,” he says.

Michael had considered studying in Europe, but Australia attracted him as an unusual choice.

“I hear a lot of people going to the UK and the Netherlands to study, and not a lot of people going to Australia. I thought, ‘Okay. Let me see how Australia is, so that I could have a story to tell,’” he says.

The University of Melbourne was his first choice.

“I was thrilled to have the benefit of the vast experience of the lecturers here and also the very commendable facilities in study and research,” Michael says.

Now Michael receives a Melbourne Research Scholarship to support his PhD research. It covers his tuition as well as providing him a living stipend.

How a PhD can lead to many environmental law careers

Michael believes a PhD will help distinguish him as an expert in the field.

“I've seen an emerging saturation of environmental scholars, both young and old. My perception is that you have to actually stand out or create a niche for yourself in that area to be noticed,” he says.

After graduating, he may continue to work as an environmental law academic. Another option he finds attractive is working for an international non-governmental organisation for environmental protection like the World Wildlife Fund or the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Michael has been offered a teaching fellowship at the University of Melbourne which will help him get his academic career started.

But he may also consider returning to work as a lawyer after his PhD.

“With my law qualifications coupled with my PhD, I believe it's easier for me to break into the international space,” Michael says.

The research on regionalism as a pathway to recognising ecocide in international law is scarce, Michael reports. By the time he finishes his PhD, he will have contributed original research to an area that badly needs it.

“My satisfaction will be that even though it may not be the silver bullet, I may have at least led policymakers and legislators to the fact that regionalism can be a very useful tool to combat international environmental damage caused by anthropocentric activities,” Michael says.