Two new ecocide bills presented in Peru's parliament

Summary:

• A further two ecocide bills have been introduced in Peru’s parliament. 

• A second ecocide bill was introduced by Congressperson Isaac Mita Alanoca of the Perú Libre party on 27 May, while the third bill was introduced by Congressperson Ruth Luque of the Cambio Democrático party on 30 June.

• The flurry of recent new legislation means that there are now three ecocide bills in Peru’s parliament following the previous introduction of a bill by Congressperson Américo Gonza of Perú Libre on 16 May.

• All three bills incorporate the main elements of the consensus legal definition of ecocide, which was formulated by the Independent Expert Panel convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation in 2021.

• Both new legislative texts propose a maximum jail sentence of twenty-five years for those found guilty of ecocide in Peru, but they differ in their minimum sentence, with the second suggesting twelve years and the third putting forward a term of fifteen years.

• A source close to the developments said that the three parliamentarians are now likely to seek collaboration on a strategy to amend Peru’s penal code to include the crime of ecocide.

You can read the second ecocide bill here and the third ecocide bill here.