Environmental crimes from the illegal trade in wildlife, timber and the smuggling of ozone depleting substances to the illicit trade in hazardous waste and illegal fishing are serious and growing international problems, which impacts transcend national borders. According to UN Environment Programme (UNEP) findings, environmental crimes affect all sectors of society and often linked with the exploitation of disadvantaged communities, human rights abuses, violence, conflict, money laundering, corruption and international criminal syndicates.
Wildlife crime alone is estimated to be worth US $$15-20 billion annually and is recognised as the fourth largest global illegal trade behind illegal drugs, human trafficking and trade armaments. Several studies indicate that the illegal trade in wildlife and timber may help finance terrorism and organised crime across the world. The same routes used to smuggle wildlife across countries and continents are often used to smuggle weapons, drugs and people.
As per the UNEP observation, electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Up to 50 million tons of e-waste is generated annually with only a 10 percent recycling rate. Shipments of waste across the globe are in some cases contravening the UNEP-hosted treaty, the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing accounts to 11 to 26 million tonnes per year, equivalent to 15 percent of world catches.
UNEP believes that environmental crime continues to be on the rise and is now one of the most profitable forms of organised crime. Despite the international consensus on the need to address environmental crimes, enhanced political support and financial investment are needed to tackle such crimes more effectively.
To counter the problem, Interpol and UNEP are working together to enhance environmental compliance and enforcement at the national level and across borders. Interpol encourages countries to establish multi-agency National Environmental Security Task Forces (NESTs) to further strengthen enforcement mechanisms. The initiative aims to establish a common platform for national compliance and enforcement responses, so as to enhance both national and international efforts on ensuring current and future environmental security.
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