Summary
In July 2024, a bill to criminalize ecocide was submitted to the Italian Parliament by the Greens and Left Alliance (Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra). The proposed bill is based on the wording of the legal definition of ecocide formulated by the Independent Expert Panel convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation in 2021: “unlawful or arbitrary acts committed in knowledge of a substantial likelihood of causing serious and widespread or lasting harm to the environment.” The suggested penalties are up to 20 years imprisonment and provisions for the protection of those reporting such crimes.
The bill aligns with the revised EU Environmental Crimes Directive in 2024, which replaced previous EU legislation on environmental crime and now includes “offences for widespread, long-lasting or irreversible damage to ecosystems or protected habitats.” All EU Member States are required to transpose these new standards into their domestic legislation by mid-2026.
To become law, the bill must next undergo parliamentary debate, committee review, and pass a vote in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, before receiving presidential approval.
Involved Organizations
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/italy-ecocide-law/.
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