Summary
On May 26, 2025, Assembly Member Teremuura Kohumoetini-Rurua and 20 additional Assembly Members of French Polynesia proposed a bill to criminalize ecocide. Among its initiatives, the bill establishes additional environmental assessments, criminalizes ecocide as “irreversible harm to ecosystems,” and establishes penalties for individuals guilty of ecocide.
Prior to the bill’s proposal, France introduced ecocide as an environmental crime in 2021 and has continued debate on its efficacy in existing laws. The bill introduced in French Polynesia is more ambitious than the current French legislation. French Polynesia’s Environmental Code already includes multiple offenses regarding ecosystem degradation, and this bill would establish a specific offense for severe ecological destruction.
Teremuura Kohumoetini-Rurua, elected representative in the Assembly of French Polynesia and initiator of the bill said: “As an island people deeply connected to the land and ocean, we cannot remain passive in the face of environmental destruction. If adopted, this law would send a strong signal from French Polynesia: our ecosystems are not expendable. Recognising ecocide means protecting our natural heritage, our identity, and the future of generations to come.”
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/french-polynesia-proposed-legislation-to-criminalize-ecocide/.
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