Polly Higgins

Polly Higgins
Polly Higgins in a park
Higgins in 2012
Born
Pauline Hélène Higgins

(1968-07-04)4 July 1968
Glasgow, Scotland
Died21 April 2019(2019-04-21) (aged 50)
Leckhampton, England
Alma mater
Occupations
  • Lawyer
  • environmental advocate
  • author
OrganizationEarth Protectors
Notable workEradicating Ecocide
MovementCriminalizing ecocide in international law
Spouse
Ian Lawrie
​
(m. 2002)​

Pauline Hélène "Polly" Higgins[1] FRSGS (4 July 1968 – 21 April 2019)[2] was a Scottish barrister, author, and environmental lobbyist, described by Jonathan Watts in her obituary in The Guardian as, "one of the most inspiring figures in the green movement".[3] She left her career as a lawyer to focus on environmental advocacy, and unsuccessfully lobbied the United Nations Law Commission to recognise ecocide as an international crime. Higgins wrote three books, including Eradicating Ecocide, and started the Earth Protectors group to raise funds to support the cause.

  1. ^ Mehta, Jojo (2023). "Higgins, Pauline Hélène [Polly] (1968–2019), barrister and environmental campaigner". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000381209. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ "About Polly". eradicatingecocide.com. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Guardian_Watts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).