DRC: National Ecocide Bill Lodged in Parliament

Summary:

Senator Cédric Ngindu Biduaya of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has formally lodged a bill in the national Parliament to establish ecocide as a domestic criminal offence, marking a decisive step towards strengthening legal protection for ecosystems across the country and the Congo Basin.

The bill proposes amendments to Law No. 15/022 (31 December 2015) to introduce ecocide as a standalone offence in the Congolese Penal Code, applicable in both peacetime and situations of armed conflict. The bill defines ecocide as unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge of a substantial likelihood that such acts would cause severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment. 

The bill draws on definition of ecocide developed by an Independent Expert Panel co-chaired by Philippe Sands and Dior Fall Sow, published in June 2021, and closely mirrors the wording of the proposed amendment to the Rome Statute submitted to the International Criminal Court in 2024 by Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa, ensuring coherence between domestic legislation and evolving international legal standards.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has emerged as a leading advocate for the recognition of ecocide as an international crime. After becoming the first African country to publicly endorse the initiative at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in 2024, the DRC has consistently reaffirmed its position at major international fora, including the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, and the United Nations General Assembly in 2025. 

This legislative initiative sends a strong signal to Africa and the international community. By moving to enshrine ecocide as a crime in its national penal code, the DRC affirms its strategic responsibility as a climate solution country, home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest and one of the world’s most important carbon sinks. 

The bill reinforces the country’s position as a legal and political reference point in Africa on ecocide law, while strengthening its capacity to protect its population, natural resources and ecological integrity from the most serious forms of environmental destruction. 

Senator Cédric Ngindu Biduaya, said:

“This bill seeks to establish a clear and stable legal framework that supports economic actors committed to the responsible use of natural resources, while drawing firm red lines against the most serious forms of environmental harm. It contributes to the protection of communities, provides legal certainty for responsible businesses, and strengthens the State’s capacity to prevent irreversible damage to ecosystems.”

Patricia Willocq, Diplomatic Director for Africa and Francophone Countries at Stop Ecocide International, said:

“By proposing the introduction of ecocide as a domestic criminal offence, this bill seeks to close a major accountability gap for the most serious forms of environmental destruction. If adopted, it would enable large-scale harm to ecosystems to be investigated and prosecuted under Congolese criminal law, while aligning national legislation with growing international efforts to recognise ecocide as an international crime.”

The full text of the bill is not yet publicly available and will be published here in due course.