Sir David Attenborough's Scots cameraman backs groundbreaking 'ecocide' law

Daily Record

25-05-2025

SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: Celebrated BBC wildlife photographer Doug Allan has hailed MSP Monica Lennon's 'powerful' proposals to tackle eco criminals.
Sir David Attenborough's award-winning cameraman has backed groundbreaking legislation being published at Holyrood this week which would outlaw 'ecocide' in Scotland. Doug Allan – world-renowned for his work on BBC shows including Life, Planet Earth and The Blue Planet – hailed MSP Monica Lennon's 'powerful' plan to hold polluters to account through a Scottish Ecocide Bill.
Under the Labour politician's proposals, company bosses who cause severe or widespread damage to ecosystems could be prosecuted and face up to 20-year prison terms. After years of planning and consultation, Lennon is set to publish her draft Ecocide (Prevention) Bill at Holyrood on May 29.
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If passed it would be the first law of its kind in the UK. Bafta and Emmy award-winning Allan, born in Fife, said it can't come soon enough.
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The Sunday Mail previously teamed up with the celebrated wildlife photographer and cameraman in our successful campaign to ban polluting plastic wet wipes.
Allan, also a marine biologist, said: 'I've always believed that there's a sort of Scottish psyche which is more aware of the natural environment.
"Having travelled the world, I can tell you Scotland is one of the loveliest countries out there in terms of the wildernesses that you can find and the freedom to roam about them.
"There's so much that Scotland's got going for it and an ecocide law has the potential to be powerful.
'I just hope it gets passed and then starts to have an effect as soon as possible.'
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The proposals were first championed by the Sunday Mail in 2021 as Glasgow was preparing to host COP26.
Experts say ecocide laws could capture large-scale acts of eco destruction like river pollution, deforestation and oil spills.
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They could also target energy giants behind new fossil fuel schemes which pump even more carbon into the atmosphere – as the world hurtles towards catastrophic climate change.
Allan warned political turmoil and events like the war in Ukraine had seen action on the climate and environment stall with concerns rising over the cost of net zero.
But he said: "What's good about this Bill is it actually goes after the people who are causing the damage, so it shouldn't cost the government much to put it into force - and we should be extracting something from the people who cause the damage.
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'I've started talking about climate breakdown rather than climate change, because climate change is much too gentle a word.
'If you've got something that breaks down, you've got to fix it – and that's what we've done. We have broken down the climate.
'People wouldn't damage the environment if there wasn't some profit motive sitting away at the back of it somewhere.
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"And this Bill gets to grips with the economic system which is causing that damage in the first place.'
Lennon said: 'This robust plan to criminalise severe environmental crimes has been a long time in the making, with the help of world-leading experts and community voices across the country.
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'It's brilliant to have the backing of legendary wildlife cameraman and photographer Doug Allan, whose work underwater and in the polar regions has brought the undeniable case for ecocide law to our screens.'
It comes as the latest documentary by Sir David, 99, has sparked huge public debate over destructive industrial fishing activities, some of which experts say could meet the bar for ecocide.
As well as exploring the world's incredible marine wildlife, 'Ocean With David Attenborough ' exposes the grim trail of destruction left by bottom-trawling and dredging vessels which rip up the seabed, featuring unprecedented underwater footage.
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In Scotland, more than 90 per cent of our Marine Protected Areas still allow trawlers to operate.
The Blue Marine Foundation, which will screen the film for free for hundreds of UK schools, is also backing Lennon's Bill.
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Jonny Hughes from the conservation charity said: 'If allowing our supposedly protected areas to be trashed by the most destructive fishing gears isn't ecocide, it's hard to imagine what would be.
'David Attenborough's latest film shows a stark but accurate picture of what's going on in our waters, including where there is 'protection' – at least on paper.
'Ministers cannot criticise deforestation or other ecologically damaging policies in place around the world while allowing this to happen in our own seas.'
Ocean with David Attenborough is in cinemas now with a wider release on Disney+ on June 8.