Meeting of the Parliament 05 February 2026 [Draft]
I commend Monica Lennon for introducing the bill and for her tenacity in getting it to this stage.
The word “ecocide” is from the Greek “oikos”, which means home, and “cide”, meaning killing—so it means killing our home, also known as planet earth. Today, the issue could not be more pressing. In an era of accelerating climate breakdown, biodiversity loss and environmental injustice, doing everything that we can to protect our environment—our planet—is not optional but essential.
The modern understanding of ecocide is, sadly, rooted in real and devastating modern history. During the Vietnam war, as an act of war, the USA sprayed more than 19 million gallons of the herbicide agent orange over south Vietnam to deliberately destroy crops and starve the so-called enemy—everybody. The results were devastating, affecting millions in Vietnam, and US veterans, through cancers, birth defects and long-term ecological harm, forcing the world to confront and seek to define the crime of ecocide. That question has echoed through international law ever since. Despite numerous efforts to codify and legislate against the crime of ecocide, notably in the drafting of the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court, getting it on the statute books seemed to be very difficult for us.
However, the campaigns and momentum for the formal recognition of the crime of ecocide have only grown since then, thanks in large part to the much-loved late Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and inspirational environmental lobbyist—and a good friend. Polly presented a definition of ecocide to the United Nations International Law Commission in 2010 that reads:
“Ecocide is extensive loss, damage or destruction of ecosystems of a given territory … such that the peaceful enjoyment of the inhabitants has been or will be severely diminished.”
Pope Francis referred to that definition in his call for ecocide to become a crime in 2019. I am sure that, when she looks down on us today, Polly will be proud of where her legacy is taking us.
In 2024, the European Union adopted its revised environmental crime directive, strengthening criminal sanctions for serious environmental harm. That directive has marked a significant step forward and lends weight to the argument that environmental accountability now has unprecedented political and legal support.
The direction of travel is clear. The time to act is now—not tomorrow, not at some undefined point in the future, but now. Today, Scotland can join the growing recognition. International examples reinforce that message. Kazakhstan adopted an ecocide law, following the major environmental atrocities that took place there, including catastrophic damage linked to the destruction of the Aral Sea. Importantly, Kazakhstan is not alone. Belgium has now included ecocide in its criminal code. Beyond Europe, countries such as Brazil and Mexico are actively exploring similar legal approaches.
Scotland will not be acting in isolation; we will be joining a growing global movement that recognises the need to protect ecosystems through strong and enforceable law. Closer to home, discussions on ecocide are also taking place within the United Kingdom. In 2023, Baroness Boycott—that is her real name—tabled a private member’s bill, which sadly fell at the previous UK election. Let us not let that happen here. Scotland has an opportunity to lead, show ambition and set a clear example of how environmental protection and justice can be embedded in our society.
I understand that some concerns have been raised about implementation and enforcement, which is reasonable. Those concerns deserve serious consideration. However, I also note that, although the Law Society of Scotland acknowledged the overlap with section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, it has also made it clear that there is scope for adaptation, which would allow the bill to sit within the existing framework without being unduly complex or onerous. It believes that the clear focus of the bill makes that possible.
I am pleased to support the bill and hope to promote the work of Polly Higgins going forward.