Germany: Greens include Ecocide Law in Election Programme

Summary:

• The German Green Party (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) has included a commitment in its 2025 Election Programme (p.55) to the consistent implementation of the recently revised EU Environmental Crime Directive (ECD) in Germany, as well as to the prevention of the most severe environmental crimes (ecocide) through an amendment to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. 

• In September 2024, the island nations of Vanuatu, Fiji, and Samoa formally submitted a corresponding proposal, joined by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in October. The proposal was presented to the International Criminal Court’s Assembly of States Parties in December.

• EU member states, including Germany, are required to harmonise their national laws with the ECD by May 2026, ensuring a cohesive and standardised legal framework across the bloc. 

• The EU Directive introduced qualified offenses for conduct comparable to ecocide, marking a significant step forward in prosecuting the most severe environmental crimes across the region.

• Following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government in late 2024, the Greens have been governing as a minority alongside their coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

• A snap federal election is scheduled for February 23, 2025

You can find the full Election Programme (‘Regierungsprogramm zur Bundestagswahl 2025” von Bündnis 90/Die Grünen ) here