Summary:
On Wednesday 15 May, the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) voted on a total of six motions, from four political parties, that contain proposals to make ecocide prohibited under international law within the framework of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Foreign Affairs Committee stated that it shares the intentions in the motions, but recommended that Parliament should not support them as the government has already expressed a positive stance on establishing ecocide as a crime at the ICC. The committee said it would be ‘closely following the government's analysis and work in the area’
Echoing Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, and as stated in report 2023/24:UU14, the committee emphasised a need to strengthen the international legal framework to protect the environment, noting that ‘doing this through an addendum on ecocide to the Rome Statute is an innovative proposal that could represent a possible way forward’.
The vote in parliament was close - 153 MPs voting in line with the Foreign Affairs Committee’s recommendations (i.e. against the motions) and 150 voting in favour.
In the hours leading up to the vote, an initiative led by Sweden’s Ecocide Law Alliance, saw representatives from thirteen Swedish companies and business organisations urge the government to actively work for the introduction of an international crime of ecocide for the protection of nature and to create a level playing field for businesses employing sustainable business models.
A breakdown of the vote and background information can be found in the Foreign Affairs Committee report (2023/24:UU14) here.
Pella Thiel, Founder of End Ecocide Sweden, said:
“We are very pleased by the level of support; through this process seven of eight parties have expressed interest and support of varying degrees, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine.”
“Sweden was the first country to summon the international community on environmental issues at the Stockholm conference in 1972 and it is high time we join those thought-leading states who are right now calling for domestic and international legislation against ecocide. We look forward to this new level of support for ecocide law at the parliamentary level, to translate to government action and meaningful engagement with the conversation at the international level.”
