Summary
Ecocide included in new draft penal code.
Inclusion approved on second reading by the Federal Council of Ministers on Thursday 20 July.
Parliamentary approval required to become law.
On Thursday 20th July, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved the second reading of a bill outlining proposed reforms to the nation’s penal code. Among the new crimes listed for inclusion is Ecocide. Pending approval by Parliament later this year, the development sees Belgium set to become the twelfth country to add the crime to its statute books.
Zakia Khattabi, Federal Minister for the Environment, said,
"Nature is our first safety net: it purifies our air and water, provides us with food, absorbs and stores carbon, and acts as a bulwark against climatic disasters: fires, floods, droughts... Serious environmental damage that causes long-term harm to the ecosystems on which human health depends cannot go unpunished.”
I'm delighted to see Belgium join this group of pioneering countries in this field!”
A coalition of more than 20 climate and environmental organisations has long argued for the recognition of ecocide as a crime in Belgium, including Stop Ecocide Belgium, Greenpeace Belgium, Canopea, Rise for Climate, Youth for Climate, Climate Justice for Rosa, the Climate Coalition, the European Foundation for the right of the living, Extinction Rebellion and Grandparents for Climate.
Advocates close to the process have acknowledged the step as a significant win, although the bill is more limited in scope than they might have wished.
“Examination by the Council of State has resulted in some restriction of the bill's reach, applying it specifically to aspects covered by federal rather than regional environmental law." said Patricia Willocq, Founder and Director of Stop Ecocide Belgium.
"This is due to the particular way that legal competencies work here in Belgium. Nonetheless, this confirmation from the Council of Ministers is a huge step forward for environmental legislation in this country. Once the law has been adopted domestically, Belgium will be in a position to initiate diplomatic procedures to introduce ecocide at the International Criminal Court and play a meaningful role in the protection of precious ecosystems around the world. Now it's up to the Federal Parliament to strengthen the law.”
Ruth-Marie Henckes, Biodiversity Campaigner at Greenpeace, added,
"In 2021, the federal parliament voted in favour of an ambitious resolution to recognise ecocide as a crime in national and international law, with a much more ambitious definition of ecocide than the current bill. In the meantime, more than 33,000 citizens have signed our petition calling for the definition of ecocide adopted by parliament to be included in the new criminal code. We are counting on Parliament to strengthen this law.”
"Ecocide is a crime against us all which, until now, has gone virtually unpunished. The Council of Ministers' proposal gives us the opportunity to punish those responsible for ecocide in Belgium with up to 20 years' imprisonment, thereby protecting nature".