Environmental crime

Environmental crime refers to illegal acts that directly harm the natural world. These activities target wildlife, biodiversity, and various natural resources.

International organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme and Interpol recognize these acts as serious offenses. Environmental crime is currently the fourth largest criminal activity in the world. It is a growing problem, increasing by five to seven percent every year. This crime involves complex networks of people and organizations. These include corporations, partnerships, unions, and even non-profit groups.

These crimes follow several specific patterns and mechanisms. Wildlife crime involves the illegal trade of endangered species. This violates a treaty called CITES, which protects fauna and flora. Illegal mining includes smuggling substances that deplete the ozone layer. This violates the 1987 Montreal Protocol. Pollution crimes involve the dumping or illicit trade of hazardous waste. This is regulated by the 1989 Basel Convention. Other types include illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Finally, illegal logging involves the trade of stolen timber in violation of national laws.

Several factors drive these illegal activities. Economic incentives are a primary cause. Regulations often create cost differentials between legal and illegal products. People may seek out products that are scarce or expensive. Social and cultural factors also play a role, such as a lack of concern for the environment. Regulatory factors contribute to the problem as well. A lack of appropriate regulation can fail to protect property rights. Problems with enforcement, such as corruption or lack of resources, also allow crimes to continue. Political and economic disruption can further weaken the ability to stop these acts.

History shows how the global response to these crimes has evolved. Interpol began fighting environmental crime in 1992 to help member countries enforce laws. In 2016, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague announced a major change. The ICC decided it would prosecute individuals and governments for environmental crimes. They look for crimes that result in the destruction of the environment. They also look for the illegal exploitation of natural resources. This shift means environmental harm can be treated as a major international crime.

The scale of this issue is massive in terms of money. In June 2016, the value of environmental crime was estimated between US$91 billion and US$258 billion. This was a significant increase from the 2014 estimate of US$70 billion to US$213 billion. This value is even larger than the illegal trade in small arms. More than half of this total amount is attributed to illegal logging and deforestation. These high profits can lead to serious consequences. In some cases, environmental crime can lead to terrorism or even civil wars.

Different regions experience these crimes in unique ways. In Russia, illegal logging and hunting were major issues in 2018. Illegal cutting of forest plantations accounted for about 13.8 thousand cases. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has investigated many crimes since 1982. This includes prosecuting companies for oil spills or illegal dumping. In 2023, the Justice Department took action against eBay for selling illegal equipment and banned chemicals. In Guam, a $400 million project was required to fix sewer systems and address untreated sewage spills.

Enforcement is the key to protecting the environment. In the past, many violations only resulted in small civil fines. Many corporations treated these fines as a simple cost of doing business. Environmental criminal law is different because it uses stricter criminal provisions. The EPA uses technical assessments and environmental forensic analyses to find proof. They also use computerized evidence evaluation to build cases. By using these tools, prosecutors can better hold individuals and companies accountable for their actions.