Summary:
On June 19, Argentina advanced further toward criminalising the gravest forms of environmental destruction, with Senator Edith Terenzi (Chair of the Senate Environment Committee) presenting a comprehensive ecocide bill "Ley De Formas Especiales De Criminalidad Ambiental" (Law on Special Forms of Environmental Crimes) to the Senate, marking the third legislative initiative currently under consideration.
The new bill defines ecocide as "irreversible or especially serious damage caused to the environment in violation of minimum environmental protection standards, compromising the rights of present and future generations". It establishes severe penalties for both individuals and corporations, with imprisonment ranging from 3-10 years, escalating to 5-15 years for irreversible environmental damage, and up to 25 years if deaths result.
For corporations specifically, the bill includes penalties such as suspension from government contracts, loss of state benefits, operational suspensions up to 10 years, and mandatory publication of conviction notices.
Argentina now has three concurrent ecocide bills navigating the legislative process:
Chamber of Deputies Bill by Margarita Stolbizer (Deputy, Chubut) – introduced April 1 partly in response to devastating Patagonian wildfires, incorporating the definition formulated by the Independent Expert Panel convened in 2021 by the Stop Ecocide Foundation.
Chamber of Deputies Bill by National Deputy Ana Clara Romero (PRO-Chubut) – introduced in October, 2024.
Senate Bill by Senator Edith Terenzi – presented today.
Under Argentina's bicameral system, these bills will undergo committee review in their respective chambers, followed by floor debates and voting. If approved, they must pass to the other chamber for consideration. Should multiple bills advance, the Senate and Chamber of Deputies will need to reconcile any differences between them before final passage - though it's more likely that one bill will emerge as the primary vehicle rather than all three proceeding simultaneously. Any final legislation would then proceed to the Executive for presidential signature into law.
Rodrigo Lledó, Americas Director at Stop Ecocide International, said:
"This represents another crucial step in Argentina's journey toward holding those responsible for environmental destruction accountable under criminal law. The bill targets individuals in positions of power — policymakers and corporate executives — who commit unlawful acts with knowledge they could cause severe environmental harm.
"Argentina joins a growing movement across Latin America and globally, with similar ecocide legislation advancing in Peru, while Scotland, Italy, and French Polynesia pursue their own domestic frameworks. This momentum extends to international discussions at the European Union and, most significantly, the International Criminal Court, where Pacific island nations have formally proposed making ecocide the fifth core international crime."
Senator Edith Terenzi stated,
"I introduced a bill (File S-1064/25) to criminalise the crime of ecocide and incorporate a new section dedicated to crimes against the environment into the National Penal Code. It is vital that we make progress on this criminal offense due to the seriousness of the environmental damage that certain human activities cause to ecosystems and the consequences this has for future generations. We are talking about concrete, tangible consequences."
