Environmental crime Wildlife crime Pollution crime Other environmental crime types Environmental Crime Committee Conferences and meetings News Manuals, publications and resources Ecomessage Partners and acknowledgements Restricted website Links Environmental crime

Environmental crime news 19 March Southeast Asia - Flat-headed Cat of Southeast Asia is Now Endangered One of the smallest and most enigmatic species of cat is now threatened with extinction. According to a new study, habitat loss and deforestation are endangering the survival of Asia's flat-headed cat, a diminutive and little studied species. Read more... 18 March Qatar - Bluefin tuna fails to make UN's list of protected fish Japan, Canada and scores of developing nations opposed the measure on the grounds that ban would devastate fishing economies. Read more... 18 March Qatar - US Proposal to Ban Polar Bear Trade Voted Down at UN Wildlife Meeting The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species decided a ban would hurt indigenous economies. Read more... 18 March Sierra Leone - Conservation of the Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserve (WAPFoR) and its Watershed Project (Wata en Forest na Life) Welthungerhilfe, formerly known as German Agro Action, informs the general public that it has received funding from the European Union (EU) to implement the “Conservation of the Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserves (WAPFoR) and its watershed” project. The five (5) year project started in March, 2009 and has a total budget of EURO 3.1 million (approx. 4.3 million USD). Read more... 17 March Liberia - Technology Helps Liberia Turn the Page on 'Blood Timber' Liberia's rainforests, once ravaged for blood timber sold to fund one of Africa's bloodiest civil wars, are being primed as a lucrative and legal industry using cutting-edge tracking technology. Read more... Read more news...

See also INTERPOL supports best practice training in Kenya to combat wildlife crime Orang-utan, Indonesia Dave Currey / Environmental Investigation Agency

A seizure of canisters of CFCs and HCFCs labelled as CFC-12 and CFC-22, stacked up in storage, Delhi, India. Environmental Investigation Agency

Burned forest near Sarawak border, Indonesia. Environmental Investigation Agency

Environmental crime is a serious and growing international problem, and one which takes many different forms. It is not limited to criminals polluting the air, water and land and pushing commercially valuable wildlife species closer to extinction; it can also include crimes which speed up climate change, destroy fish stocks, annihilate forests and exhaust essential natural resources.

These crimes can have a harmful impact on the economies and security of multiple nations, in some cases they may even threaten the very existence of a country or people.

Furthermore, a significant proportion of both wildlife crime and pollution crime cases point to the involvement of organized crime networks. This is evidenced by the detailed planning of operations, substantial financial support, the careful management of international shipments and massive profits.

Our mission

The mission of INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme is to assist its member countries in the effective enforcement of national and international environmental laws and treaties. In this way we can contribute to the ongoing conservation of the world’s environment, biodiversity and natural resources.
The Environmental Crime Programme also works towards enhancing and developing the abilities of INTERPOL member countries at a national level, for example concerning the deterrence, apprehension, investigation and prosecution of environmental criminals, and it helps co-ordinate the actions of multiple countries in cases with international implications.

Primarily, the Programme targets wildlife and pollution crime. However, we will always strive to identify and respond to emerging environmental crime trends in partnership with or member countries and the international community. Our Strategic Plan permits us the flexibility to react to current and emerging types of environmental crime.

• Wildlife crime
• Pollution crime
• Other environmental crime types

Our activities

INTERPOL became actively involved in fighting environmental crime in 1992 when it established the INTERPOL Environmental Crime Committee. The Organization's programme has grown significantly over the years and continues to expand as member countries become more active in the Committee’s two working groups:

• Wildlife Crime Working Group
• Pollution Crime Working Group

The combined activities of the Programme, the Committee and its working groups cover various forms of environmental crime, ranging from the planning and execution of operations to the development and publication of manuals and best practice guides.  Read more about:

• Wildlife crime projects
• Pollution crime projects
• Previous projects

About the website

Public information

Members of the public can:

• download our educational materials;
• sign up to our newsletter distribution list and;
• contact the Programme.

In the future, we also hope to provide a method by which you can report suspected environmental crime in your area.

Restricted content

Law enforcement and government officials can access restricted materials including our manuals, guides, project plans and conference materials. Restricted areas are marked by a key symbol ().

To gain access to the restricted materials please fill out the enrolment form. If you already have a login name and password for the site you can access the restricted site directly. You will be prompted to enter your login name and password when you click on a link marked by a key symbol ().

Staff

Environmental Crime Programme

David Higgins – Programme Manager and Wildlife Crime Officer
Emile Lindemulder – Pollution Crime Officer
Scott Priestley – Communications and Partnerships
Alexander Mears – Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Monnet – Intern

Project OASIS

Peter Younger – Project OASIS, Wildlife Crime Programme Manager