EU Parliament Passes Landmark Legislation Criminalizing Ecosystem Destruction

The European Union has passed an updated environmental crime directive that will introduce tougher penalties and prison sentences, including up to 10 years, for the most serious cases of environmental damage comparable to ecocide. The directive covers activities such as ecosystem destruction, illegal logging, and habitat loss, and aims to put an end to environmental impunity in Europe. The new law also holds individuals, including CEOs and board members, personally liable for environmental crimes if they were aware of the consequences of their decisions and had the power to stop them. While considered revolutionary, some experts believe that the directive could go further and advocate for the inclusion of a public prosecutor at the EU level.