Summary
On November 7, 2023, a draft proposal for an Ecocide Bill to be introduced in Scottish Parliament was submitted by Monica Lennon, MSP. The proposed Ecocide Prevention (Scotland) Bill seeks to deter mass environmental damage and destruction taking place in Scotland, and aims to protect the environment, habitats, and natural resources by introducing the crime of ecocide into Scots Law. The proposal expressly draws from the legal definition of ecocide proposed by the independent expert panel of Stop Ecocide International: “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or longterm damage to the Scottish environment being caused by those acts.”
The draft proposal now enters a public consultation period that will run until February 9, 2024. At the end of the consultation period, a final proposal will be lodged in Parliament. If that final proposal secures the support of at least 18 other MSPs from at least half of the political parties represented in the Parliament, the bill can be introduced. At this stage, there is no Bill, only a draft proposal for the legislation.