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Global Warming Organized crime Hazardous waste Oil pollution Penalties

Global warming Interpol supports fight against global warming Many pollution crimes involve the uncontrolled emission of pollutants into the environment. The release or evaporation of these pollutants can raise greenhouse gas levels. Interpol recognises that fighting global warming must include the reduction of uncontrolled emissions of pollutants. Interpol is committed to research that will help to quantify the impact of pollution crimes on global warming and to make available information based on this research on how Interpol’s work to fight pollution crimes also contributes to tackling global warming.

Pollution crime not only damages the environment, but also results in significant profits for criminals, in some cases totaling millions of dollars. The illegal disposal of waste into waterways, the air and the ground can significantly damage a community’s livelihood, destroy jobs and lower property values. The illegal actions of one company or even one individual can have far-reaching consequences beyond the damage caused by the initial act. A business which violates the law has an unfair economic advantage over a law-abiding one.

It is the responsibility of law enforcement to ensure that environmental criminals are stopped and receive penalties sufficient enough to deter future violations.

These issues have both national and international repercussions. Countries downstream from an illegal discharge can have their drinking water supplies contaminated. Hazardous waste, especially from more developed nations where it is strictly controlled, can be illegally disposed of in less developed countries, taking advantage of lax or non-existent environmental controls or effective enforcement.

In today’s global economy there is a need for an international strategy to deal with this type of criminality. Interpol is uniquely qualified to assist in this effort. In partnership with its member countries, Interpol has formed the Pollution Crimes Working Group, an active forum in which criminal investigators from around the globe meet to discuss issues such as:

• Determining the role of organized crime in environmental crime
• Identifying trends and patterns in trans-border shipments of hazardous waste
• Developing training and enforcement actions to combat illegal oil pollution into oceans, seas and inland waterways
• Helping to develop a level playing field for law-abiding businesses by ensuring that penalties for pollution are sufficient to deter future illegal activity.

Pollution Crimes Working Group objectives

Pollution Crimes Working Group commitments