The European Crime Directive, 2008 directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law is currently being revised.

European Parliament Briefing note on Revision of Directive 2008/99/EC – Protection of the environment through criminal law

This presents an opportunity to add ecocide as a new criminal offense. This would create an enforceable deterrent to the most severe and either widespread or long-term harms to nature.

Significant moment for the campaign!

On the 16th November 2023 the European Union added a sanction for crimes comparable to ecocide into the EU Environmental Crime Directive:

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230929IPR06108/environmental-crimes-deal-on-new-offences-and-reinforced-sanctions

https://www.stopecocide.earth/breaking-news-2023/agreement-reached-eu-to-criminalise-severe-environmental-harms-comparable-to-ecocide

This is the result of over 10 years of campaigning by a huge number of people from different organisations and institutions and is an incredible step forward towards an international crime of ecocide.