Environmental Crimes
Defining Environmental Crimes
Environmental crime is a serious and growing concern at national as well as international level, and one which takes many different forms. Environmental crime in broad terms means an act which is committed with the intention of damaging or causing damage to the ecological and biological systems to ensure business or personal benefit. The types of acts commonly recognised as environmental crime are: pollution or other contamination of air, land and water; illegal discharge, dumping and transport of, or trade in, hazardous and other regulated waste; illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; illegal trade in (protected) flora and fauna and harms to biodiversity; and illegal logging and timber trade.
The major drivers of environmental crimes are identified to be ‘Greed’ and ‘Ignorance’. Individuals and organizations understand that a huge amount of money can be made by committing certain environmental crimes and for some businesses illegal version is more lucrative. The attractiveness of the profits is enhanced by the often minimal investment that is needed to commit environmental crimes and the relatively low risk of getting caught and prosecuted (Hayman & Brack 2002).
‘Ignorance’ covers genuine lack of awareness about environmental responsibilities (e.g. the subsistence poacher) or is the product of confusion about the intricacies of these responsibilities (e.g. the permit, licensing and record-keeping system required to breed and trade in native birds).
Why is this issue important?
Environmental issues have posed global challenges and have raised skepticism regarding the sustainability of nature to nurture human civilization. And among these environmental issues is the growing menace of environmental crimes. The threat that environmental crimes pose today is far superior than it did a few decades ago. In such a short span of time the rate of commission of such crimes has
Environmental crime is a serious and growing concern at national as well as international level, and one which takes many different forms. Environmental crime in broad terms means an act which is committed with the intention of damaging or causing damage to the ecological and biological systems to ensure business or personal benefit. The types of acts commonly recognised as environmental crime are: pollution or other contamination of air, land and water; illegal discharge, dumping and transport of, or trade in, hazardous and other regulated waste; illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances; illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; illegal trade in (protected) flora and fauna and harms to biodiversity; and illegal logging and timber trade.
The major drivers of environmental crimes are identified to be ‘Greed’ and ‘Ignorance’. Individuals and organizations understand that a huge amount of money can be made by committing certain environmental crimes and for some businesses illegal version is more lucrative. The attractiveness of the profits is enhanced by the often minimal investment that is needed to commit environmental crimes and the relatively low risk of getting caught and prosecuted (Hayman & Brack 2002).
‘Ignorance’ covers genuine lack of awareness about environmental responsibilities (e.g. the subsistence poacher) or is the product of confusion about the intricacies of these responsibilities (e.g. the permit, licensing and record-keeping system required to breed and trade in native birds).
Why is this issue important?
Environmental issues have posed global challenges and have raised skepticism regarding the sustainability of nature to nurture human civilization. And among these environmental issues is the growing menace of environmental crimes. The threat that environmental crimes pose today is far superior than it did a few decades ago. In such a short span of time the rate of commission of such crimes has