The Netherlands
In November 2023, departing Member of Parliament Lammert van Raan of the Party for the Animals submitted an Ecocide Criminalization Bill to the Dutch House of Representatives and the Council of State. The Bill, which van Raan developed in close cooperation with lawyers Femke Wijdekop, Judith Alkema, and Abel van Wijk, was also supported by technical advice from Ecocide Law Advisory.
"With this, we are introducing a new, much-needed standard in criminal law. The environment has an intrinsic value, and serious damage to that environment, whether caused by human action or inaction, must be punishable." explained MP Van Raan.
Van Raan also pointed to the deterrent function of criminalizing ecocide and its preventive effect. "Better to prevent future ecocide than to punish environmental damage. Current environmental legislation is insufficient, while the severity of the biodiversity, climate, and pollution crises is increasing."
Progress of the bill (in Dutch)
Initiatiefwetsvoorstel van het lid Van Raan tot wijziging van het Wetboek van Strafrecht en van het Wetboek van Strafrecht BES. Doel van dit wetsvoorstel is het strafbaar stellen van 'ecocide'; milieu heeft een intrinsieke waarde en de ernstige aantasting van dat milieu door een menselijk handelen of nalaten moet strafbaar worden.
Explanatory Memorandum
Legislative proposal by member Van Raan amending the Criminal Code and the BES Criminal Code with respect to the criminalisation of ecocide, consequently making it a criminal offence (Ecocide Criminalisation Act)
Dutch Proposed Ecocide Criminalisation Bill
The explanatory Memorandum explains the context and rationale for the Bill.
General Advice Dutch Board of Attorneys
Dutch Board of Attorneys General Advice on Proposed Ecocide Law