Nordic Council urges governments to join ecocide law discussion

The Nordic Council recommends Nordic governments “to participate in relevant international discussions to criminalise serious crimes against the natural environment during both wartime and peacetime.” …
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The decision was unanimous and thus has support from parties from across the political spectrum.

Rebecka Le Moine, member of Sweden’s delegation to the Nordic Council, raised the proposal for ecocide law together with Simon Holmström from Åland and Janine Alm Ericson from Sweden.

Rebecka Le Moine believes the need for ecocide law is increasingly urgent.

“Since we presented the proposal for ecocide legislation in the Nordic Council over two years ago, Russia’s attack on Ukraine has caused enormous environmental damage. In Ukraine’s peace plan, there is a point about holding Russia accountable for the damage Russia is causing to Ukraine’s nature, and President Zelenskyy is appealing to the world to recognize ecocide as a crime. Through this decision, we in the Nordics show that we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and that we are prepared to end the era of impunity for those who destroy other countries’ ecosystems.”

The vision of The Nordic Council for 2030 is that the Nordic region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. The primary goal for proposals to the council is that the Nordic region should be a good region in which to live and work.

Link to decision.

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