As the world grapples with climate change and environmental calamities, a new survey is revealing a surprising shift in public opinion. It turns out that most people around the globe now want to see serious, criminal consequences for those who harm the planet.
Imagine if damaging the environment was treated like a serious crime, right up there with theft or fraud. Well, that’s exactly what a whopping 72% of people across 18 major countries want to see happen. This eye-opening finding comes from the Global Commons Survey 2024, a massive research project that took the pulse of 22,000 people across some of the world’s biggest economies.
So, what does this actually mean? Researchers are talking about making it a criminal offense for government officials or corporate executives to give the green light to actions that seriously harm nature or the climate. Think of it as putting Mother Nature under legal protection.
“The majority support (72%) for criminalizing actions which allow serious damage to the climate surprised us,” admits Owen Gaffney, who helps lead an initiative called Earth4All, in a media release.
It’s a clear signal that people are fed up with environmental destruction and want to see real accountability.
Poll reveals a growing movement
This isn’t just pie-in-the-sky thinking. Some countries are already making moves in this direction. Belgium, for instance, recently made “ecocide” a federal crime. If you’re scratching your head wondering what ecocide means, think of it as a fancy term for severely damaging the environment. It’s like genocide, but for ecosystems instead of people.
Belgium isn’t alone. France and Chile have passed similar laws, while countries like Brazil, Italy, and the Netherlands are considering jumping on the bandwagon. It’s like a domino effect of environmental protection laws spreading across the globe.