A Summary by the Monsanto Tribunal
In a referendum on November 29th, the Swiss citizens, but not the majority of the cantons (regions), voted to accept the Responsible Business Initiative. However, a constitutional amendment must have both majorities: in that case, companies with headquarters in Switzerland could have been more easily held accountable for human rights violations and environmental offences. Now an only moderately binding counter-proposal comes into force. This decision is nonetheless a modest contribution to strengthening the campaign to include ecocide in the international legal system. There will nevertheless be lawsuits against the chemical companies Bayer and Syngenta in the future. Keep in mind that Syngenta manufactures and sells the very toxic pesticide paraquat, banned in the EU but still widely used in the world.
