Environmental Crimes Are on the Rise, So Are Efforts to Prevent Them

Illegal logging: The International Union of Forest Research Organizations reported in 2016 that illegal logging has affected all continents of the globe and is widespread across all tropical forest regions like China, India, and Vietnam – three major importers of legal and illegal tropical wood products.

Illegal fishing: A 2013 report by thePEW Charitable Trust indicates that illegal fishing occurs worldwide within both exclusive economic zones of countries and in international waters.

Pollution crimes: The illegal dumping and trade of wastes has resulted in a global contamination of air, land, water systems (including water tables and river systems) and threaten local ecosystems, affecting animal and plants in addition to human health.

Waste trafficking originates mainly in developed countries, with the European Union, the United States, Japan and Australiabeing commonly identified as the main exporters of illegal waste shipment. The main destination continents for illegal waste trafficking are Africa(Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Benin and Senegal) and Asia (China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam).

The illegal production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and other ozone-depleting substances also falls under this category.

These substances affect animal immune systems, creating vulnerability to infectious diseases and reduced productivity in plants and phytoplankton.

Illegal mining: Illegal mining isprevalent in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia, where it is increasingly becoming an issue of major public concern. It has severe environmental impacts, most notably mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining, destruction of natural flora and fauna, pollution, landscape degradation and radiation hazards.

The major gaps

The UN Environment study identified several major gaps in the response to environmental crime. Lack of data, knowledge and awareness, lack and limited use of legislation, lack of institutional will and governance, lack of capacity in the enforcement chain, lack of national and international cooperation and information sharing among authorities, and lack of engagement with private actors and local communities were among those listed.

In order to close those gaps, the international community needs to reintroduce programmes of environmental crime, initiate concerted action and information sharing, recognize and address environmental crimes as a serious threat to peace and sustainable development, and strengthen the environmental rule of law at all levels.

UN Environment is therefore helping countries establish strong legal frameworks on environmental crime by developing enforcement guidance to help national authorities comply with environmental laws.

It also builds the capacities of all actors involved in environmental enforcement such as police, prosecutors and customs.

UN Environment recently partnered with the Africa Prosecutors Association to create training manuals and curricula on environmental crime prosecution, and help countries integrate environmental crime education in the training curricula of police and prosecutors, in order to enhance their capacity to investigate and prosecute cases. This type of training has already been conducted in Uganda.

*SOURCE: UN Environment. Go to ORIGINAL.  2018 Human Wrongs Watch