ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMETHE BIG PICTURE

19 June 2018

By Dr. Peter Harris, Managing Director & the Environmental Crime Programme, GRID-Arendal

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT

Ambiguity in defining the concept– what is environmental

crime?

Growing international problem

Not restricted by borders

Photos credit: Yannick Beaudoin, GRID-Arendal

GRID-ARENDAL ON ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME• Environmental crime on the international agenda (UNEA 2014 and UNEA 2016).• Assessments: rapid response assessments, environmental crime series, reports

and feasibility studies, story maps, and contributed to global assessments.• Working with media: media tours and journalist investigations.• Working with technological solutions.• Capacity building and training.

ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME - THE COST TO SOCIETIES, ECONOMIES & NATURE

MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM• Very hard to estimate the value lost to

environmental crime.• Estimated that natural resources worth 91-258

billion USD annually are stolen (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 6-8).

• 4th largest crime in the world (Ibid):• 1. drug trafficking - 344 billion USD• 2. counterfeit crimes - 288 billion USD• 3. human trafficking - 157 billion USD• 4. environmental crime - 91 billion USD

5-7% Annual Growth

MAJOR CRIMES, DRIVERS & IMPACTS

LINKS TO WHITE COLLAR CRIME, ORGANIZED CRIME AND CONFLICTS

• Environmental crime often goes hand in hand with white collar crime throughout the criminal chain (Nelleman et al., 2016).• Illegally exploited natural resources can be funneled into

organized crime groups (Ibid).• Estimated that at least 40 % of internal conflicts during the last 60

years have had a connection to natural recourses (UNEP, 2015).• Cases of environmental crime linked to terrorist organizations and

armed groups (UN Security Council resolutions, e.g. S/RES/2195 (2014) and S/RES/2277 (2016)).

CONVERGENCE OF CRIMES

Source: INTERPOL-UN Environment, 2016: p.60

ROUTES

Riccardo Pravettoni – RHIPTO 2016

ILLEGAL LOGGING AND TIMBER TRADEILLEGAL PRACTICES RELATED TO THE HARVESTING, PROCESSING AND TRADE IN TIMBER AND TIMBER PRODUCTS

• Forestry crimes (including corporate crimes and illegal logging) are estimated to between 51-152 billion USD annually (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 7).• A number of methods associated with illegal logging and laundering of

illegal wood (see Nelleman et al, 2016; INTERPOL-UNEP, 2016).• Affecting all continents (UNEP, 2018).• Leads to deforestation, deprivation of sustainable livelihoods, loss of

revenues for governments.

ILLEGAL FISHING ACTIVITIES OCCUR WHEN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK RELATED TO FISHING OR A FISHERY IS VIOLATED

• Illegal fisheries is estimated to between 11-24 billion USD annually (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 7).

• Characterized by high levels of mobility – where offenders can move from areas under state jurisdiction to the high seas (Ibid).

• Undermines food security, livelihoods, biodiversity and economies –especially for coastal communities and developing coastal states.

ILLEGAL FISHERIES

ILLEGAL MINING AND TRADE IN MINERALS

• Illegal mining is estimated to a range between 12-48 billion USD annually (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 7).

• Mining in areas without licenses, in prohibited zones (INTERPOL-UNEP, 2016).

• Criminal supply chain - extraction, transport, export and sale.

• Poses risks to people and communities – for example negative health effects, forced displacement and land-tenure conflicts, as well as severe impacts of ecosystems.

ILLEGAL PRACTICES RELATED TO MINING AND RESOURCE EXTRACTION

ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE AND POACHING

• Illegal wildlife trade is estimated to a range of 7-23 billion USD annually (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 7).

• Everything from insects and reptiles to mammals – used for pets, animal parts, medicinal purposes, aphrodisiac and ritual dishes (Ibid).

• Causes severe damage to ecosystems and biodiversity, undermines rule of law and good governance.

THE ILLEGAL HARVEST, TRADE AND TRANSPORTION OF WILDLIFE

ILLEGAL WASTE TRAFFICKING AND DUMPING

• Estimated range from 10-12 billion USD annually (Nelleman et al., 2016: p. 7).

• Waste trafficking of electronic equipment, ozone depleting substances (ODS), end of life vehicles and used tires (INTERPOL-UNEP, 2016).

• The lack of sound waste management systems can have severe implications for the environment and human health (Rucevska et al., 2015).

THE TRADE & DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND TOXIC WASTE

Riccardo Pravettoni GRID-Arendal 2015

TACKLING ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

Awareness and outreach

International and multi-agency cooperation

Enforcement and prosecution

Technological solutions

SUPPORTING ENFORCEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS

Intelligence gathering:• Technological solutions provide opportunities for intelligence gathering, through

e.g. remote sensing, automatic identification systems (AIS) and vessel monitoring systems (VMS), radar, virtual watch rooms, drones.

Compliance and deterrence:• Technological solutions can play an important role in efficient outreach campaign

that can lead to compliance or deterrence.

LAW ENFORCEMENT CHAIN

Identify

• Key enforcement crime markets• Root causes• Key actors• Legislative loopholes

Action

• Collaborate with governments and international actors• Close loopholes• Increase financial support• Increase consumer awareness• Reduce economic incentives

Enforcement

• Rule of law• Reduce corruption• Share data and information• Dissuasive penalties

Criminals are Reported

Authorities May Act

Possible Penalties

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Share success stories & strengthen awareness. • Strengthen reporting on environmental crimes in

discussions on peace, conflict and development.• Support further capacity building and

information-sharing in enforcement, investigation and prosecution.

Photo credit: Yannick Beaudoin, GRID-Arendal

REFERENCES

• INTERPOL-UNEP (2016). Strategic Report: Environment, Peace and Security – A convergence of Threats. Available at: www.interpol.int and www.unep.org .

• Nellemann, C., Henriksen, R., Raxter, P., Ash, N., Mrema, E. (Eds). 2014. The Environmental Crime Crisis- Threats to Sustainable Development from Illegal Exploitation and Trade in Wildlife and Forest Resources. A UNEP Rapid Response Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal.

• Nellemann, C., Henriksen, R., Kreilhuber, A., Stewart, D., Kotsovou, M., Raxter, P., Mrema, E., and Barrat, S. (Eds). 2016. The Rise of Environmental Crime – A Growing Threat To Natural Resources Peace, Development and Security. A UNEP-INTERPOL Rapid Response Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme and RHIPTO Rapid Response-Norwegian Center for Global Analyses.

• Rucevska,, I., Nellemann, C., Isarin, N., Yang, W., Liu, N., Yu, K., Sandnæs, S., Olley K., McCann H., Devia L., Bisschop L., Soselio D., Schoolmester T., Henriksen,R., Nilsen, R. 2015. Waste Crime – Waste Risks: Gaps in Meeting the Global Waste Challenge. A UNEP Rapid Reponse Assessment. United Nations Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal.

• UNEP, 2015. Issue Brief, Environmental Rule of Law: Critical to Sustainable Development. Available at: http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/10664/issue-brief-erol.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

• UNEP, 2018. The State of Knowledge of Crimes that have Serious Impacts on the Environment. In print.

CONTACT

• For more information contact the Programme Leader of Environmental Crime in GRID-Arendal: Valentin Emelin(Valentin.Yemelin@grida.no).