2023-06-202022/23:UU10 · p.5UUForeign affairs
Ecocide
International legislation against ecocide
What's at stake: International recognition of ecocide as a crime would provide a global legal tool for holding parties accountable for large-scale environmental destruction, for example in war or serious industrial disasters.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the government should investigate the possibility of establishing international legislation against ecocide, primarily by adding it as a crime under the Rome Statute, or whether no separate initiative should be taken.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee considers that the issue of cross-border environmental crime already falls within the EU's and Sweden's broader work on global challenges, and does not see grounds for a separate initiative to establish ecocide as a crime, and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 8 (S, V, MP)
The reservation calls for the government to investigate the possibility of establishing international legislation against ecocide, primarily by adding ecocide as a crime under the Rome Statute. The reasoning is that effective legislation to hold parties accountable for large-scale environmental destruction is currently lacking, contributing to widespread impunity for environmental crimes.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 8 by S, V, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 1/93/0/13 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/15/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 62/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| SKadir Kasirga (S, Stockholms kommun) | Yes — party line: No |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2022/23:1288 by Anna Vikström and Mathias Tegnér (both S), 2022/23:1960 by Gunilla Carlsson (S) point 1, 2022/23:2278 by Rebecka Le Moine (MP) and 2022/23:2364 by Håkan Svenneling et al. (V) point 7.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2022/23:1288 av Anna Vikström och Mathias Tegnér (båda S), 2022/23:1960 av Gunilla Carlsson (S) yrkande 1, 2022/23:2278 av Rebecka Le Moine (MP) och 2022/23:2364 av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V) yrkande 7.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag directed an appeal, a so-called tillkännagivande (formal notification), to the government to actively work to create unity within the EU to list the state-supported Russian so-called Wagner Group as a terrorist group under EU terrorist sanctions. In connection with the notification, the Riksdag also highlights that there is likely a need to upgrade the EU's framework for terrorist listing to better address threats from actors with state connections. According to current regulations, a terrorist listing requires that a group is subject to legal prosecution for terrorism offences. There must therefore be an ongoing or completed legal process. The notification came in connection with the Riksdag's consideration of a communication from the government on activities in the European Union during 2022 with accompanying motions, including on sanctions against Russia. The Riksdag rejected the motions and laid the communication aside, that is, closed the matter.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the EU to set binding climate targets of 70% reduced emissions by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040. (S, V, MP) — Reservation 8
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan stipulates that international law must be defended and deepened and that cross-border problems such as environmental degradation require international agreements between states.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan stipulates that international law must be defended and deepened and that cross-border problems such as environmental degradation require international agreements between states. It holds long-term environmental considerations to be paramount, because global ecological collapse can never be a price worth paying. Investigating international legislation against ecocide, primarily through the Rome Statute, follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att folkrätten måste försvaras och fördjupas och att gränsöverskridande problem som miljöförstöring kräver internationella överenskommelser mellan stater. Den håller de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen för överordnade, eftersom ett globalt ekologiskt sammanbrott aldrig kan vara ett pris värt att betala. Att utreda internationell lagstiftning mot ekocid, i första hand genom Romstadgan, följer av dessa åtaganden.
- environmental considerations paramountdecisive»de långsiktiga miljöhänsynen måste vara överordnade« (party programme ↗)“long-term environmental considerations must be paramount”
- deepen international law»Folkrätten, den internationella rättsliga praxis som reglerar förhållandet mellan stater, måste försvaras och fördjupas.« (party programme ↗)“International law, the international legal practice that regulates relations between states, must be defended and deepened.”
- cross-border environmental crime»Många av världens problem är gränsöverskridande: miljöförstöring, vapenhandel, växande sociala klyftor« (party programme ↗)“Many of the world's problems are cross-border: environmental degradation, arms sales, growing social gaps”
- global accountability»Kapitalismen och klimathotet har inga landgränser.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Capitalism and the climate threat have no national borders.”
The plan explicitly requires that parties must be obliged to openly disclose contributions from outside organizations, interests and companies, and establishes that improper influence on decisions is devastating for trust in democracy.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly requires that parties must be obliged to openly disclose contributions from outside organizations, interests and companies, and establishes that improper influence on decisions is devastating for trust in democracy. A review of the party financing law with investigation of front-company arrangements, anonymous contributions and criminal liability follows directly from this. The plan also requires transparency about public officials' assignments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill att förorenaren betalar och driver på för globala regler på klimatområdet, och partiprogrammet kräver internationella institutioner med kraft att kontrollera det globala kapitalet samt bygger utrikespolitiken på folkrätten. Straffrihet för storskalig miljöförstöring strider mot dessa åtaganden. Att utreda internationell lagstiftning mot ekocid, i första hand via Romstadgan, stöds därför i sak.
- open disclosure of party contributionsdecisive»Vi ska verka för att ett globalt koldioxidpris införs med principen att förorenaren betalar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Parties shall be obliged to openly disclose the contributions they receive from outside organizations, interests and companies.”
- zero tolerance for improper influence»De internationella institutionerna måste ha kraft att kontrollera och balansera det globala« (party programme ↗)“Nothing is more devastating to trust in democratic governance than the presence of bribes and corruption intended to influence decisions or their implementation.”
- transparency about assignments»Vi har en lång historia av att stå upp för folkrätten, solidaritet, nedrustning, demokrati och jämställdhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Public officials shall be obliged to disclose their other assignments.”
- openness and transparency»Hänsynen till miljöns krav ska byggas in i produktionsprocesserna redan från början.« (party programme ↗)“The democratic process and public administration must be based on openness and transparency.”
The election manifesto explicitly demands that Sweden work for ecocide legislation, which is precisely what the counter-proposal seeks by investigating international legislation and adding ecocide to the Rome Statute.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto explicitly demands that Sweden work for ecocide legislation, which is precisely what the counter-proposal seeks by investigating international legislation and adding ecocide to the Rome Statute. The party programme also states that transboundary environmental issues and protection of natural environments are of global importance and need supranational decisions. Impunity for large-scale environmental destruction is incompatible with the plan's requirement that international law be placed at the centre.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet kräver uttryckligen att Sverige verkar för en ekocidlagstiftning, vilket är precis vad motförslaget begär genom att utreda internationell lagstiftning och lägga till ekocid i Romstadgan. Partiprogrammet slår dessutom fast att gränsöverskridande miljöfrågor och skydd av naturmiljöer är av global betydelse och behöver överstatliga beslut. Straffrihet för storskalig miljöförstöring är oförenlig med planens krav att folkrätten sätts i centrum.
- ecocide legislationdecisive»att Sverige verkar för en ekocidlagstiftning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that Sweden work for ecocide legislation.”
- supranational environmental decisions»annat gränsöverskridande miljöfrågor och skydd av« (party programme ↗)“other transboundary environmental issues and protection of”
- global protection of natural environments»naturmiljöer är av global betydelse och behöver« (party programme ↗)“natural environments are of global importance and need”
- international law at the centre»Miljöpartiet de gröna sätter folkrätten och de« (party programme ↗)“The Green Party puts international law and”
The plan states that common challenges such as climate issues and international crime can only be solved through international cooperation, and that it should always be unprofitable to act environmentally destructively.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that common challenges such as climate issues and international crime can only be solved through international cooperation, and that it should always be unprofitable to act environmentally destructively. Investigating international legislation against ecocide, primarily through the Rome Statute, is a way to make large-scale environmental destruction accountable. The plan does not mention ecocide, so the position is derived from these principles.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att gemensamma utmaningar som klimatfrågan och internationell brottslighet bara kan lösas genom internationellt samarbete, och att det alltid ska vara olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande. Att utreda internationell lagstiftning mot ekocid, i första hand genom Romstadgan, är ett sätt att göra storskalig miljöförstöring ansvarsutkrävbar. Planen nämner inte ekocid, varför ställningstagandet härleds ur dessa principer.
- global problems require cooperationdecisive»Utmaningar som är gemensamma för många nationer, som tullmurar, klimatfrågan och internationell brottslighet, kan bara lösas genom internationellt samarbete.« (party programme ↗)“Challenges that are common to many nations, such as trade barriers, climate issues and international crime, can only be solved through international cooperation.”
- polluter pays»Det ska alltid vara lönsamt att vara miljövårdande och olönsamt att agera miljöförstörande.« (party programme ↗)“It should always be profitable to be environmentally responsible and unprofitable to act environmentally destructively.”
- science-based environmental policy»Klimatpolitiken ska utgå från vad vetenskapen visar är nödvändigt för att undvika farliga förändringar.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy should be based on what science shows is necessary to prevent dangerous changes.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to strengthen the International Criminal Court's role in prosecuting crimes and requires clear sanctions for violations of environmental regulations, with the principle that the polluter pays.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to strengthen the International Criminal Court's role in prosecuting crimes and requires clear sanctions for violations of environmental regulations, with the principle that the polluter pays. Investigating ecocide as a crime in the Rome Statute is a direct application of these commitments to large-scale environmental destruction. Ecocide as a criminal charge is not mentioned, so the position is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill stärka Internationella brottmålsdomstolens roll för att lagföra brott och kräver tydliga sanktioner vid överträdelser av miljöbestämmelser, med principen att förorenaren betalar. Att utreda ekocid som brott i Romstadgan är en direkt tillämpning av dessa åtaganden på storskalig miljöförstöring. Ekocid som brottsrubricering nämns inte, varför ställningstagandet är härlett.
- strengthened international prosecutiondecisive»Internationella brottmålsdomstolens roll för att lagföra brott mot mänskliga rättigheter ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“The International Criminal Court's role in prosecuting crimes against human rights shall be strengthened.”
- sanctions for environmental crimes»vid överträdelser av bestämmelser gällande utsläpp, vattenrening, transportsäkerhet och fiske.« (party programme ↗)“for violations of regulations concerning emissions, water purification, transport safety and fishing.”
- the polluter pays»Principen att förorenaren betalar ska upprätthållas.« (party programme ↗)“The principle that the polluter pays shall be upheld.”
- international environmental work»EU-samarbetet är vårt viktigaste instrument för att driva på miljöarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“EU cooperation is our most important instrument for advancing environmental work.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that the most serious environmental threats are global and that cooperation across national borders is therefore necessary, and that international agreements are needed to limit emissions.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that the most serious environmental threats are global and that cooperation across national borders is therefore necessary, and that international agreements are needed to limit emissions. It also requires that the UN's position and international courts are strengthened and that all crimes are prosecuted. To investigate international legislation against ecocide follows from these commitments.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att de allvarligaste miljöhoten är globala och att samarbete över nationsgränserna därför är nödvändigt, och att internationella överenskommelser behövs för att begränsa utsläpp. Den kräver också att FN:s ställning och internationella domstolar stärks och att alla brott beivras. Att utreda internationell lagstiftning mot ekocid följer av dessa åtaganden.
- international environmental agreementsdecisive»Internationella överenskommelser behövs för att begränsa utsläpp som leder till försurning och övergödning.« (party programme ↗)“International agreements are needed to limit emissions that lead to acidification and eutrophication.”
- cross-border environmental work»Därför är ett samarbete över nationsgränserna« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, cooperation across national borders is”
- strengthened UN system»Därför måste FN:s ställning skyddas och stärkas,« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, the UN's position must be protected and strengthened,”
- stewardship of natural resources»Med detta menas att människan är förvaltare av – och inte herre över – skapelsen.« (party programme ↗)“This means that humans are stewards of – and not masters of – creation.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan wants to increase penalties for environmental crimes and notes that reported environmental crimes are increasing while the clearance rate is decreasing, and the program establishes that Sweden should be leading for international solutions to transboundary environmental problems.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan wants to increase penalties for environmental crimes and notes that reported environmental crimes are increasing while the clearance rate is decreasing, and the program establishes that Sweden should be leading for international solutions to transboundary environmental problems. Investigating an international criminalization of ecocide is in line with both. At the same time, the program warns against expensive symbolic politics, which makes the support weak and inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Planen vill skärpa straffen för miljöbrott och konstaterar att anmälda miljöbrott ökar samtidigt som uppklarningsgraden minskar, och programmet slår fast att Sverige ska vara drivande för internationella lösningar på gränsöverskridande miljöproblem. Att utreda en internationell kriminalisering av ekocid ligger i linje med båda. Samtidigt varnar programmet för dyrbar symbolpolitik, vilket gör stödet svagt och härlett.
- increased penalties for environmental crimesdecisive»Skärpa straffen för miljöbrott och nedskräpning och ge ordningsvakter befogenhet att dela ut böter för småskräp« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Increase penalties for environmental crimes and dumping and give security guards authority to issue fines for litter”
- impunity for environmental crimes»Antalet anmälda miljöbrott ökar samtidigt som uppklarningsgraden minskar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The number of reported environmental crimes is increasing while the clearance rate is decreasing.”
- leading internationally»Klimatet känner inga nationsgränser och Sverige ska vara« (party programme ↗)“Climate knows no national borders and Sweden should be”
- warning against symbolic politics»Klimatpolitiken får aldrig reduceras till dyrbar symbolpolitik eller snäv klimatnationalism.« (party programme ↗)“Climate policy must never be reduced to expensive symbolic politics or narrow climate nationalism.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that global problems must be combated on a global platform and particularly points to environmental threats, and that companies making money from environmentally destructive activities shall compensate for the damage.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that global problems must be combated on a global platform and particularly points to environmental threats, and that companies making money from environmentally destructive activities shall compensate for the damage. Investigating international legislation against ecocide aligns with the stewardship thinking the plan is built on. However, the uncertainty is large, because the plan simultaneously seeks to strengthen national self-determination and values sectors against special requirements.
Original (Swedish)
Principprogrammet slår fast att globala problem måste bekämpas på en global plattform och pekar särskilt ut miljöhot, samt att företag som tjänar pengar på miljöförstörande verksamhet ska kompensera för skadan. Att utreda internationell lagstiftning mot ekocid ligger i linje med den förvaltarskapstanke planen bygger på. Osäkerheten är dock stor, eftersom planen samtidigt vill stärka det nationella självbestämmandet och värnar näringar mot särkrav.
- global platform against environmental threatsdecisive»dem ges en global plattform. Särskilt viktigt är detta då det är fråga om miljöhot, väpnade konflikter« (party programme ↗)“them are given a global platform. This is particularly important when it comes to environmental threats, armed conflicts”
- polluter pays»miljöförstörande verksamhet också tvingas kompensera för den skada de åsamkar.« (party programme ↗)“environmentally destructive activity is also forced to compensate for the damage they cause.”
- stewardship and environmental effectiveness»Sverigedemokratisk miljöpolitik utgår från förvaltarskapstanken och strävar efter att hitta de mest miljöeffektiva och kostnadseffektiva metoderna, som samtidigt inte skadar näringar och landsbygd.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrat environmental policy proceeds from stewardship thinking and seeks to find the most environmentally effective and cost-effective methods, which at the same time do not harm sectors and countryside.”
- national self-determination»Stärka det nationella självbestämmandet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen national self-determination”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2022/23:UU10)
- Committee report full text (HA01UU10)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2022/23:1288 — Lagstiftning om ekocid av Anna Vikström och Mathias Tegnér (båda S)
- Motion 2022/23:1366 — En ny svensk Israelpolitik av Mikael Oscarsson och Magnus Oscarsson (båda KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1455 — Fred i Palestina av Jacob Risberg och Bassem Nasr (båda MP)
- Motion 2022/23:1615 — Belarus av Martin Ådahl (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1744 — Kuba av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1749 — Sverigedemokraternas biståndspolitik av Mats Nordberg m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1752 — Demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter i utrikespolitiken av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1764 — Säkerhetspolitik av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1769 — Mellanöstern av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2022/23:1804 — Balkankonferens för handel och försoning av Magnus Jacobsson (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:1879 — En fokuserad utvecklingsagenda bortom 2030 av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1882 — En starkare liberal demokrati av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2022/23:1960 — Ekocid som brott vid ICC i Haag av Gunilla Carlsson (S)
- Motion 2022/23:1965 — Åtgärder mot regimen i Iran av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2040 — Omprövning av Iranpolitiken av Azadeh Rojhan m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2022/23:2048 — Skärpning av EU:s sanktioner mot regimen i Belarus av Mikael Oscarsson (KD)
- Motion 2022/23:2247 — Iran av Alireza Akhondi och Martin Ådahl (båda C)
- Motion 2022/23:2278 — Initiativ till ekocidlagstiftning av Rebecka Le Moine (MP)
- Motion 2022/23:2364 — med anledning av skr. 2022/23:115 Verksamheten i Europeiska unionen under 2022 av Håkan Svenneling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2022/23:53 — Hbtqi-frågor i världen av Lotta Johnsson Fornarve m.fl. (V)
Source: The Swedish Parliament