International records / OpenAlex research

The Potential Application of the International Criminal Court's Rome Statute to the Conduct of Oil Multinationals in the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta, a biodiverse African wetland, has suffered decades of environmental devastation and human rights abuses from oil extraction by MNCs like Shell. Over 880 oil spills (2019–2021) polluted ecosystems, displaced communities, and destroyed fishing/agricultural livelihoods. Systemic negligence—aging infrastructure, gas flaring, and poor waste management—has turned areas into "ecological wastelands." While the Rome Statute (governing the ICC) lacks explicit environmental crime provisions, advocates propose recognizing ecocide—severe, deliberate environmental harm—as a prosecutable off…