Too much environmental damage happening in Scotland, says Labour MSP

Monica Lennon MSP wants to bring in laws against ecocide in Scotland. Image: Carl Court/Getty Images.

Monica Lennon is looking to bring in laws against ecocide and environmental crime in Scotland

Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon says there is too much environmental crime in Scotland, as she looks to bring in laws against ecocide.

Previously The Scotsman exclusively revealed she is working on proposals to bring in ecocide laws that will punish those responsible for mass environmental damage in Scotland.

Should these proposals become law, it would cover the most serious, long-lasting acts of damage against the natural environment, such as oil spills or chemical leaks.

Monica Lennon

Now Ms Lennon says the laws currently in place in Scotland are too “weak” and says there are not enough deterrents to stop large corporations from committing ecocide crimes.

Speaking to BBC Good Morning Scotland, the Central Scotland MSP said: “This proposal is new in Scotland but the idea has been around for a long time, the campaign was masterminded by a Scottish barrister and environmentalist Polly Higgens.

“There is international recognition that when it comes to our environmental protection, our laws are pretty weak and the laws we do have are not enforced, the legal protections are very fragmented.”

She said “all studies” show Scotland does not have strong enough deterrents, which is leading to irreversible environmental damage.

Ms Lennon added: “We have examples of commercial companies being fined high amounts of money, millions at a time, but up until now it is the reputational damage that comes alongside it that makes them change their ways.

“Ecocide crime is happening now and it is destroying the planet.

“We need to drill down on human activities causing the most widespread and long-term, sometimes irreversible, damage.

“This is about looking at acts that are deliberate and where there has been unlawful, unwanted acts committed in the full knowledge it will cause substantial and severe damage to the environment.”

She added: “We have too much environmental crime here in Scotland.”

The Labour MSP added there is currently legislation being discussed by the European Parliament on this issue, and says Scotland is “looking closely” when it comes to introducing ecocide laws in Holyrood.