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ECOCIDE
conceptual issues, the Stop Ecocide Foundation was approached by the
Swedish governing parties specifically to define the concept of ecocide.
In 2024 the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) voted in favour of a proposal
that urges states to consider making ecocide prohibited under international
law: “Sweden is reviewing the possibility of prosecuting countries, leaders and
individuals who violate international law by brazenly causing catastrophic
environmental damage under the criminal classification of ecocide.”*** Also,
several MPs recommended introducing ecocide law in the domestic
legislation to encourage sustainable business models and the protection
of the natural environment.“
France is one of the prominent supporters of the adoption of a separate
ecocide crime. Before the G7 meeting in the summer of 2019, Emmanuel
Macron explicitly stated that better management of the Amazon is needed
to stop ecocide. At the 2020 climate change meeting in Paris,” there was
overwhelming support for ecocide. Macron then pledged to explore legal
options to make the new crime part of French law.” In April 2021, the
French National Assembly voted in favour of a new law imposing highly
harsh penalties on polluters. Offenders could face up to 10 years in prison
and a fine of €4.5 million. Former Minister of Ecological Iransition
(2020-2022) Barbara Pompili stressed that the draft law specifically targets
national incidents, such as the pollution of a French river. At the same
time, the amount of environmental fines that can be imposed will be
increased up to €100,000.°*” The measures envisaged by France, which
include ecocide legislation, could fundamentally change the way citizens
live their lives; it is no wonder that there are divergent views.>**
The provisions require more vegetarian meals to be provided in state¬
funded canteens. It also blocked the expansion of French airports and cut
back on wasteful plastic packaging. It should halve the amount of landfilling
by banning the construction of shopping centres on agricultural land.
Short-haul flights (all domestic flights for which there are alternatives
533 Betankande 2023/24:UU14, Manskliga rattigheter, Utrikesutskottets betankande
Available at: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/betank¬
ande/manskliga-rattigheter_hb01uu14/html/#_Toc165018829.
534 Tbid.
55 Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat (CCC) Available at: https://www.convention¬
citoyennepourleclimat.fr/.
°%6 The Ecologist: Incorporating ecocide into French law, 15 July 2020 Available at: https://
theecologist.org/2020/jul/15/incorporating-ecocide-french-law.
France24: France drafts ‘ecocide’ bill to punish acts of environmental damage, 17 April
2021 Available at: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210417-france-drafts¬
ecocide-bill-to-punish-acts-of-environmental-damage.
The climate act is available at: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/loi-climat-resilience.
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