Ecocide
- Belgium became the first European country to recognize 'ecocide' as a national and international crime.
- Ecocide is defined as "unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts."
- The definition of ecocide was provided by the Independent Expert Panel for the Legal Definition of Ecocide in June 2021.
- The new crime of ecocide in Belgium applies to individuals in positions of decision-making power and to corporations.
- Punishments for individuals may include up to 20 years in prison, while corporations could ....