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Environmental Crime – a Peacekeeping approach

By Dr. Karen FINKENBINDER

Environmental crime is now recognized as a rapidly growing serious problem. It is
negatively impacting the abilities of current United Nations peacekeeping missions to
successfully implement their mandates. The United Nations has recognized this phenomenon
and are taking steps to ameliorate the problem; however, to date, though the Security Council
recognizes the problem, and Departments and Offices have stepped forward with research and
policies – implementation of mitigation strategies does not appear to be institutionalized.
Previous research has found that senior mission leadership tends to view the organized crime
problem, of which environmental crime is often a subset, as something that can be deferred in
favor of more pressing issues. Notwithstanding the
slow pace of implementation, positive progress is
being made. This article provides an overview of
environmental crime as a subset of organized crime,
its nexus to terrorism and corruption, how it is used by
criminalized power structures to strengthen their
power, the role of intelligence in identification and
mitigation of environmental crime, its negative impact
on current UN peacekeeping operations, and
recommended mitigation strategies.

Environmental Crime

Environmental crime, is commonly defined as the “illegal exploitation of the world’s wildlife,
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flora, and fauna” though other aspects include pollution crime in which hazardous materials and
waste are disposed of in illegal ways. Similarly, new types of environmental crime, such as
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carbon trading and water management, are now recognized and growing.
Environmental crimes thrive in those places least able to counter or mitigate them. There are a
variety of drivers, such as, war, famine, poverty, lack of alternatives, greed, acceptability of
traditional practices that have environmentally destructive results, and others, but the end result
is the same, the loss of important resources that can be used for the benefit and enjoyment of
society. Such crime furthers fragility.
In contrast, well-managed environmental assets contribute to national and local economies in a
positive way. In 2016, U.S. National Park visitation generated $32 billion USD for the U.S.
economy and generated 300,000 jobs in 2015. Moreover, its annual budget is about $2.7 billion,
though a $12 billion USD Public Lands Infrastructure Fund has been proposed by President
Trump for 2019 to address a parks’ maintenance backlog. Similarly, in Rwanda, its National
Parks system has been an incredible success and boosted its tourism. In 2008, it entered an
agreement with a South African-based NGO to manage 10 reserves, parks, and sanctuaries. This

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