Bill to jail bosses of polluters to be introduced

Proposals for a new law which could see the bosses of major polluters jailed for up to 20 years has received enough support from MSPs to be introduced at Holyrood next year.

Monica Lennon's proposed Ecocide Prevention Bill has the backing of enough cross-party members to be brought forward and the Scottish government has indicated that it will not intervene to stop it.

This would clear the way for the bill to be formally introduced in the Scottish Parliament next year.

Scotland would be the first part of the UK to have such a law which could impose harsh penalties on executives responsible for major environmental damage.

Ecocide ​refers to mass damage and destruction of ecosystems – severe harm to nature which is widespread or long-term. Examples could include oil spills, mass deforestation, air or ocean pollution, mining damage and emissions.

Campaigners believe the crime should come under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which can currently prosecute just four crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.

Members' Bills require at least 18 MSPs from at least two of the larger political parties before they can be introduced, and the government can also stop the proposal if it is going to change the law in the same way.

Ahead of the deadline for signatures at 16:30 on Wednesday, Ms Lennon had more than 30 MSPs backing her bill, from all of Holyrood's large parties.

The Central Scotland MSP said her recent consultation on the plans had been "inundated" with supportive responses.

She said the bill would be focused on creating the crime of ecocide, setting out sanctions and consequences, rather than altering the wider system of environmental regulation.

She added that ecocide would sit at the "top of the pyramid" of environmental crime, targeted at executives of companies whose actions destroy ecosystems, rather than individual workers.

"It's not looking to come after workers or middle managers - hopefully there can be some accountability," she said.

Ms Lennon hopes to formally introduce the bill before June next year in order for it to have enough time to go through Holyrood's three-stage legislative process before the next election.

She said she was encouraged by the cross-party support for her plans.

"Parliament is speaking with one voice," she said.

"We've had a really positive response to the consultation. We've got a lot of work to do now."

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "We will consider all legislative proposals brought forward by members of the Scottish Parliament carefully."

Ecocide laws are intended to deter those who may cause widespread damage to the environment.

Earlier this year, Belgium introduced a new law on ecocide to its criminal code.

Scottish barrister Polly Higgins led a decade-long campaign for ecocide to be recognised as a crime before she died in 2019.