Crimes that affect the environment

Crimes that affect the environment are serious transnational crimes ranging from wildlife and forest crime, crimes in the fisheries sector, illegal mining, minerals and waste trafficking to pollution crimes. Such crimes are no longer ‘emerging’ crimes but are increasingly evolving and interlinked with other forms of transnational organized crime.
Crimes that affect the environment are low-risk and highly profitable crimes with far-reaching impacts on human health, biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development.
These crimes are often linked to corruption and economic crimes and can threaten the rule of law, governance and national security. They also rob governments of revenue that could otherwise be used for socio-economic and sustainable development, and steals livelihood opportunities from local communities.
Combating crimes that affect the environment requires a holistic approach across the criminal justice chain and a better understanding of how criminals operate.
To tackle crimes that affect the environment, UNODC follows a holistic approach that supports Member States “from crime scene to court” to ensure appropriate sanctions and that interdictions and seizures lead to investigations, prosecutions and adjudications.

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