• The European Union has become the first international body to criminalise wide-scale environmental damage «comparable to ecocide»
• The European LIFE COSTAdapta project supports the new European Directive against eco-crimes.

Brussels, 30 November 2023. The Council presidency and European Parliament negotiators reached on last Thursday November 16 a preliminary agreement on a proposed EU law that would improve the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime offences. The European COSTAdapta project, which advocates the progressive adaptation of the coast of Gran Canaria to climate change, values very positively this measure that will help to preserve the environment.

The directive defines environmental crime more precisely and adds new types of environmental criminal offences, replacing the previous 2008 directive, which has become obsolete in the face of developments in EU environmental law. It also harmonises the level of penalties for natural persons and, for the first time, for legal persons across all EU member states.

The Council and European Parliament agreed to increase the number of offences that currently exist under EU criminal law from 9 to 18. This broadens and clarifies the type of conduct that is prohibited because it harms the environment. The new offences include timber trafficking, which is a major cause of deforestation in some parts of the world, the illegal recycling of polluting components of ships and serious breaches of legislation on chemicals.

In addition, member states will have to ensure that training is provided for those working to detect, investigate and prosecute environmental crime, such as judges, prosecutors and police authorities. EU countries will also need to make sure that these authorities have adequate resources – for instance in terms of the number of qualified staff and the financial resources to carry out their functions under the directive. The directive also contains provisions on support and assistance to persons reporting environmental crime, environmental defenders and persons affected by these crimes.

The agreement still needs to be confirmed by both institutions before going through the formal adoption procedure.

The LIFE COSTAdapta project, aligns with environmental protection

LIFE COSTAdapta, as a project committed to sustainable development by adapting the coast of Gran Canaria to rising sea levels due to climate change through an innovative and progressive tidal pool-reef system, is aligned with environmental protection.

About LIFE COSTAdapta

LIFE COSTAdapta project aims to address the adaptation of the coast of Gran Canaria to sea-level rise through an innovative methodology. To achieve this, a progressive system of Tidal pool-reefs will be designed and tested, combining traditional tidal pool construction techniques with advanced solutions.

This will contribute to the gradual adaptation of the Gran Canaria coast to climate change, which is crucial given the high vulnerability of the Canary Islands to climate impacts, including sea-level rise. In addition to strengthening the resilience of coastal areas, LIFE COSTAdapta seeks to preserve the characteristic habitats of these areas and protect the local tourist economy. The project will ensure economic sustainability by providing solutions against flooding and maintaining the region’s tourist appeal, which in turn will favor coastal stability.

The project, with a duration of 7 years and a total budget of 3,409,864 EUR (2,045,818 EUR subsidized by the European Union through the LIFE Program), is coordinated by Consejo Insular de Energía de Gran Canaria (CIEGC) by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, with the support of its seven partners.