UN Environment Report on Environmental Crime Worldwide is published
Earlier this summer, UN Environment published a report entitled “The State of Knowledge of Crimes that have Serious Impacts on the Environment”.
This report has been drawn up in collaboration with UNICRI (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Institute). To realise it, an intensive cooperation with experts from all continents was further expanded since April 2017. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), an Expert Group and the Montevideo Focal Points extensively contributed to the report.
The report focuses on six forms of environmental crime: wildlife crime, illegal logging, illegal fishery, illegal trade in waste, illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances and illegal mining. Among other things, it analyses the links between various forms of environmental crime and between environmental crime and other forms of serious crime. The report recognises that the wide spread and severity of environmental crime and its links with other forms of transnational organised crime undermine peace, [economic?] development and security. It confirms the particularly serious impact of environmental crime on ecosystems, the livelihoods of people and the development of genuine sustainable economic activities.
In March 2019, the report will be presented to the UN Environment General Assembly. Its findings and recommendations will also be considered in the further development of the policy of the UN, in particular the next ten-year program for environmental law development.
As previously reported on this website, Carole M. Billiet, partner at Equal Partners, helped draw up the report as a member of the TAC that assisted in the expert process.
For more information, have a look on the UNICRI and the UN Environment websites.
Associated areas of specialisation: Environment