February 2026. We provided a briefing for MSPs ahead of their Stage 1 consideration of this Bill.
We support the Ecocide Prevention (Scotland) Bill and feel that it could offer additional protection for the rights of children and young people in Scotland. We provided the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee with written evidence as part of their Stage 1 consideration of this Bill.[1]
We encourage MSPs to vote for this Bill to pass at Stage one.
Children and young people in Scotland are clear that environmental matters are of great importance to them. They have voiced repeated concern for the combined climate and nature emergencies. They identified Climate Change as a priority issue for us when we were preparing our current Strategic Plan.[2]
Legislation to prevent ecocide could act as a strong statement by those in power and to children and young people, that their voices are heard. Scotland could send a clear message that those who profit from environmental damage cannot gain. Children and young people want governments to take leadership and implement control, they want them to treat this as a global.
The creation of a new criminal offence is a strong statement that would not be achieved by continuing to rely on the legislation we have. While more could be done to raise conviction rates this law is not just about detection and punishment it sets a standard, sends a clear message as to what is expected and acts as a deterrent. The law would be preventative in its effect, stopping these acts of ecocide happening before the damage is caused.
Rapid Impact Assessment
We worked with Monica Lennon MSP and a group of children at Calderwood primary School, Rutherglen, to carry out a children’s rights focused Rapid Impact Assessment of the proposed Bill.[3]
The children were clear that something needs to change. They feel the injustice keenly. They highlighted that this law could uphold many of their rights under the UNCRC, including Article 27.
We heard that making a crime of ‘ecocide’ would help but urged that ‘you have to follow through and they do get punished’.
The Rapid Impact Assessment model used for this Bill is one which we believe could be useful to MSPs considering their own members bill, on any issue, in the future.
[1] CYPCS, 2025. Response to Call for Views on the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/response-to-call-for-views-on-the-ecocide-scotland-bill/
[2] CYPCS, 2024. Our Plan 2024-2028. https://www.cypcs.org.uk/wpcypcs/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Strategic-Plan-Artwork-Print-Single.pdf
[3] CYPCS, 2025. Ecocide Rapid Impact Activity. https://www.cypcs.org.uk/resources/ecocide-rapid-impact-activity/