Ecocide Crime In The New Belgian Criminal Code: Understanding Scope And Context

The crime of Ecocide is one of the major new features of the revised Belgian Criminal code. It is a strong signal, reflecting the Belgian legislator's concern for the environment. However, the scope of this crime and the contexts in which it may actually be applied need to be well understood.

1. Definition

Under Article 96 of the new Criminal Code, the crime of ecocide "consists of deliberately committing an unlawful act causing serious, widespread and long-term damage to the environment, in the knowledge that such acts cause such kind of damage". The various components of this definition are also specified:

• "serious damage": damage that results in highly detrimental adverse changes, disruptions or impairments to any component of the environment, including serious repercussions on human life or health, biodiversity or natural, cultural or economic resources for society;