Ecocide an offence
Recently the National Assembly of France has approved a bill to include “Ecocide” in the category of crime.
The Bill has been approved following a recommendation of the ‘Citizens Convention for Climate’ Committee.
It should be noted that this Environment Committee was formed in the year 2020 by the Government of France consisting of 150 environmental experts, who submitted their report in March.
Salient features of law
- Under this law, there is a provision of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of worth 5 million Euros(US $ 5.4 million) for offenders who violates the environment.
- This law will also punish those who endanger the environment or commit pollution related crimes. Such individuals will face imprisonment for three years, and a fine of 3,00,000 Euros.
Background
- In France, there was a talk of enacting a new law aimed at punishing those who intentionally harm the environment. This new law has been named ‘Ecocide Law’.
- In 2015, the French President announced the creation of the Citizens Convention for Climate to achieve the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to 1990 levels.
- In addition to enacting a law against Ecocide in this conference, around 149 resolutions were made at the conference. In this conference, Ecocide was considered a crime, and in addition to enacting a law against Ecocide, about 149 resolutions were presented at this conference. The convention was launched as a result of Gillet Jaunes Crisis.. It is also known as Yellow vest movement.
Yellow vests movement
- To deal with climate change in France, a fuel tax was imposed to promote the reduced use of fossil fuels, which increased the price of fuel, so this movement has mainly opposed fuel price increases in France.
- Simultaneously this movement called for economic policies of redistribution such as pensions, wealth tax, higher minimum wages and lower salaries for politicians.
Definition of Ecocide
Ecocide is defined as “a vast damage or destruction which would have for consequence a grievous alteration of the global commons or the Earth’s ecological system“
Source – The Hindu
