Causes & Impact of Transnational Environmental Crime

Abstract or Introduction

Environmental crime is ever expanding especially in the late 20th century, although the recognition and acceptance of environmental crime has been more problematic. According to 2014 UN report on environmental crime crisis global environmental crime amounts to $213 billion dollars. There has been no universally accepted definition of environmental crime, it is considered to be term used to describe activities that harms environment. The primary hurdle in defining environmental crime is different perspective as what is an environment crime inserted in moral, philosophical or legal interpretations of harm when endorsement of harm in reality became a crime. The cross border reference nature of the transnational crime makes a more distinguishable feature. It includes activities such as peddling and bootlegging of plants, resources, animals and pollutants in contravention of rules established by multilateral environmental agreements or in violation of national laws. In England, Disraeli’s Rivers Act of 1876 (Prevention of Pollutant Act) and in US the Refuse Act of 1899 were a symbol or starting point in controlling pollution through domestic law. Transnational environment crime requires a strong legal response but due to its cross border nature intervention by different actors involved creates a complex web of crimes. The first problem arises itself from distinguishing between illegal and rather than being a socially motivated act.