Ecocide: It’s finally a crime!
December 11, 2023
By Giulio Carini
This is a big win for nature. The EU will introduce rules that hold those who destroy our environment on a mass scale accountable, with penalties including fines and jail time!
In mid November the EU struck a deal to punish damage to the planet “comparable to ecocide.”[1] Like the illegal logging that’s happening in Romania’s forests. [2] Or the destruction of the Donana, one of Europe’s most important wetlands that’s home to millions of migratory birds. [3]
More than a year ago, this community teamed up with Stop Ecocide and Avaaz to create a movement for change. Together we demanded to make destroying the planet on a mass scale a crime. Now, we can all celebrate!
More than 600,000 people signed the petition. And thanks to small donations pouring in from members of this community, we were able to plaster hundreds of posters all across Brussels calling on the EU to make ecocide a crime. This was a major turning point in our campaign.
EU lawmakers couldn't get into their offices without seeing our message. And our message hit the headlines on the first day of EU negotiations.
As the negotiations heated up in September, we sent thousands of emails and tweets to lawmakers to punish the most serious crimes against the environment.
Our pressure worked: this agreement is a huge step from the EU to take environmental protection seriously. It’s one of the most ambitious legislations in the world. Companies will be hit by massive fines and even lose their ability to operate in Europe. Even more importantly, this could prevent environmental disasters in the future. [4]
All of this wouldn't have happened without the signatures, donations, social media posts and emails from the thousands of people from this community. This truly shows that people-power works!
References
[1] Ecocide” is any human activity that massively damages and destroys our environment, like an oil spill, deforestation, or soil pollution. “Although the agreed text does not itself include the word “ecocide”, its preamble says it intends to criminalise “cases comparable to ecocide”. These are actions that cause widespread, substantial and irreversible or long-lasting damage to large or important ecosystems, habitats or the quality of air, soil or water.” This closely follows a definition of ecocide developed by Stop Ecocide International in 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/17/eu-criminalises-environmental-damage-comparable-to-ecocide See also https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5817 https://www.stopecocide.earth/legal-definition
[2] https://action.wemove.eu/sign/2023-10-end-the-destruction-of-romanian-forests-EN/
[3] https://action.wemove.eu/sign/2023-05-save-donana-petition-EN
[4] It will end impunity for environmental criminals: violators could get up to 8 years in prison for acts comparable to ecocide. And it may also usher in a new era of environmental litigation, as the law encourages people to report environmental crimes. https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/eu-strikes-deal-on-new-ecocide-rules-to-send-polluters-in-jail/ https://www.commondreams.org/news/eu-criminalize-ecocide
.jpg](https://strapi.wemove.eu/uploads/ecocide_poster_action_collage_1_6a6e770b67.jpg)
EU lawmakers couldn't get into their offices without seeing our message. And our message hit the headlines on the first day of EU negotiations.
As the negotiations heated up in September, we sent thousands of emails and tweets to lawmakers to punish the most serious crimes against the environment.
Our pressure worked: this agreement is a huge step from the EU to take environmental protection seriously. It’s one of the most ambitious legislations in the world. Companies will be hit by massive fines and even lose their ability to operate in Europe. Even more importantly, this could prevent environmental disasters in the future. [4]
All of this wouldn't have happened without the signatures, donations, social media posts and emails from the thousands of people from this community. This truly shows that people-power works!
**References**
[1] Ecocide” is any human activity that massively damages and destroys our environment, like an oil spill, deforestation, or soil pollution.
“Although the agreed text does not itself include the word “ecocide”, its preamble says it intends to criminalise “cases comparable to ecocide”. These are actions that cause widespread, substantial and irreversible or long-lasting damage to large or important ecosystems, habitats or the quality of air, soil or water.”
This closely follows a definition of ecocide developed by Stop Ecocide International in 2021.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/17/eu-criminalises-environmental-damage-comparable-to-ecocide
See also https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5817
https://www.stopecocide.earth/legal-definition
[2] https://action.wemove.eu/sign/2023-10-end-the-destruction-of-romanian-forests-EN/
[3] https://action.wemove.eu/sign/2023-05-save-donana-petition-EN
[4] It will end impunity for environmental criminals: violators could get up to 8 years in prison for acts comparable to ecocide. And it may also usher in a new era of environmental litigation, as the law encourages people to report environmental crimes. https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/eu-strikes-deal-on-new-ecocide-rules-to-send-polluters-in-jail/
https://www.commondreams.org/news/eu-criminalize-ecocide
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