The Chamber of Deputies of the French Parliament approved the introduction of the crime of “environmental genocide” (destruction of the environment) in the event of intentional pollution of water, air or soil. The crime entry is part of a climate bill that will be approved on May 4.
Environmental Transformation Minister Barbara Pompey said the crime includes “the most serious environmental degradation nationwide”. Sentences can reach ten years in prison and fines of up to 4.5 million euros.
The political left wing believes that the crime is not enough, as is the case with the Citizens’ Climate Agreement (CCC), which formed the basis of the proposal but wanted “environmental genocide as a crime” with international repercussions. The right is concerned with “legal uncertainty.”
On the other hand, Greenpeace condemns “bogus appearances” and speaks of a missed opportunity for the government of President Emmanuel Macron.
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The bill also covers home renovations to improve energy performance, bonuses for buying an electric bike, and cancellation of flights if the train journey takes less than two and a half hours.
The French Greens and an independent body like the Supreme Climate Council believe the text will not be sufficient to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030.
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