The Environment Committee of the European Parliament wants damaging or destroying nature, biodiversity, and ecosystems to be internationally punishable. According to them, ecocide should be designated as an international crime.
Under the Rome Statute, such acts can be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
The MEPs criticize the fact that the EU has been planning since 2006 to combat biodiversity loss, yet animal and plant species continue to go extinct. Currently, more than 1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction.
Although the EU already has the world’s largest network of protected areas, an EU nature restoration plan is still needed in which at least 30% of land and sea must be protected within ten years.
The Environment Committee emphasizes that deforestation, climate change, large-scale agriculture, and the trade in wild animals not only threaten biodiversity but also humanity, says Dutch MEP Anja Hazekamp (Party for the Animals), who co-authored the report.
EU politicians oppose the renewed authorization of glyphosate use after December 31, 2022. The Environment Committee calls for no further permission to be granted for new roads, airports, or industrial activities in and near natural areas. Harmful activities in protected marine areas—which are still often allowed—must also be banned.