Page 101 - Supplemento 2-2016 (ENG)

Tackling Environmental Crime throUgh standardized Methodologies

Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio
President, “UniVerde Foundation”

First of all I wish to thank General Del Sette and Ingegnere Patrone for
their invitation. Thank you all for being here today. When I was asked to take
part in this event, I was impressed with the topic of the discussion: the gover-
nance of the Environmental Police Forces in our Country. I am happy with the
first part of the meeting and hope more will follow also because I have always
been particularly attached to the State Forestry Department.

Today we can discuss about the so called “merger” which, as it known, I
do not share. This is possible thanks to the fact that in 2001 (as a Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Forestry) I didn’t allow the split of the State Forestry
Department when my colleague, Bassanini, had already asked the Prime
Minister, Dr Giuliano Amato, to sign a Ministerial Decree through which the
Forestry Department would have been divided among the regions. As Minister,
I committed myself and wasn’t satisfied just with the fact of my function but I
wanted to work for the interest of the collective.

I couldn’t allow that an institution with such a competence on environ-
mental issues would be ripped and abandoned above all after I had created in
those years the NIAB “Nucleo Antincendi Boschivi” (Fire Prevention Unit)
and the NAF, “Nucleo Agroalimentare Forestale”, Forestry Food Farming Unit
tackling what today is known as “Agromafia”. In addition I supported the
Environmental and Forestry Police who, thanks to a series of activities of intel-
ligence, were able to create the investigative methods which allowed the disco-
very of pollution in the so called “Terra dei fuochi”(an area between the pro-
vince of Napoli and Caserta).

I agree with the statements so far issued which highlight a difference bet-
ween crimes against the environment and mafia. However, mafia organisations
are particularly skilled in crimes against the environment. Indeed, the discussion
is rather long and articulated although it is clear that a series of illegal situations
originate from the approach of many individuals, and in particular from a part of
the industry of our Country, and not only, that tries to eliminate and dispose toxic
waste, noxious and radioactive by saving at the expenses of the environment.

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