It is important to have sufficient energy, food, minerals, and water to support stable and prosperous societies. With the development of technology, people have lost their respect towards protecting the environment. Due to that, there are many ‘environmental crimes’ happening around the globe.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defined environmental crime broadly as “illegal activities harming the environment and aimed at benefitting individuals or groups or companies from the exploitation of, damage to, trade or theft of natural resources, including, but not limited to, serious crimes and transnational organised crime”. In accordance with the report titled ‘The Rise of Environmental Crime’ conducted by the UNEP, it has identified major environmental crimes such as illegal logging and trade, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, wildlife poaching and trafficking, the trade and dumping of hazardous waste, and the illegal extraction and trade in minerals.
These types of crime pose a massive impact to society and the world alike. Consequences such as species extinction, ecosystem depletion, threats to human health, resource depletion, and risks for human health can occur.
Meanwhile, according to the ‘World Atlas of Illicit Flows’ report, environmental crimes are considered as the third largest crime sector in the world. Apart from that, crimes related to the environment generate between $ 110-281 billion annually in criminal proceeds. Furthermore, according to estimates from the World Bank, the combined annual economic value of illegal fishing, logging, and wildlife trade alone is between $ 1-2 trillion. Over 90% of these losses are attributed to the negative effects of environmental crime on ‘ecosystem services’ which include reducing soil erosion and watershed damage, enhancing the quantity and quality of water, and absorbing carbon emissions.
As per UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner: “The rise of environmental crime across the world is deeply troubling. The vast sums of money generated from these despicable crimes are fuelling insecurity and keeping highly sophisticated international criminal gangs in business. It is essential that the world acts now to combat this growing menace before it is too late.” The impact of environmental crime is more than we think. It will affect not only the environment but also human health and countries’ economies as well.
Fast-expanding crime
When it comes to organised environmental crime, it is important to examine collective victimisation since it affects communities including future generations, through cumulative health, environmental, economic, and developmental harms.
Additionally, environmental crimes encompass a variety of industries, including security, trade, and conservation, and usually fall under the responsibility of Government organisations tasked with environmental protection and conservation. The investigation, prosecution, and enforcement of these crimes are all severely underfunded, and environmental crimes are frequently given low priority by policymakers, governments, and courts.
As a result, offenders frequently go unpunished and, in some jurisdictions, suffer little to no repercussions. That is why environmental crime is considered an international problem. Environmental crime has been identified as one of the fastest-expanding growing problems facing the world.
The harm that environmental crime can do is threatening ecosystems, including forests, oceans, and wildlife. For instance, deforestation from illegal logging can have disastrous repercussions on the habitat of many different animals.
The Sri Lankan context
When considering the Sri Lankan perspective, the country faces numerous environmental challenges. Deforestation has become a significant challenge among others.
Additionally, The country is rich in various kinds of forests. This makes a home to different kinds of biodiversity also. However, alongside the beauty of these forests, there is a dark side as well. According to Global Forest Watch, Sri Lanka has lost 10.7 kilohectare (kha) of humid primary forests from 2002 to 2022, accounting for 5.2% of its total tree cover loss in the same period.
Furthermore, since 2000, Sri Lanka has lost 210 kha of tree cover, reflecting a 5.3% decrease from 2001 to 2022 and contributing to 77.7 metric tonnes (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions. Moreover, from 2021 to 2022, 23% of tree cover loss took place in areas where deforestation played a significant role. From 23-30 September 2023, a total of 2,252 deforestation alerts were recorded, resulting in the loss of 21 ha of forest.
The estimate suggests that Sri Lanka is losing about 1.14% of its forest cover annually. Apart from that, the Global Forest Record highlights the leading districts in Sri Lanka responsible for 54% of all tree cover losses between 2001 and 2022. Notably, Anuradhapura has become the district with the highest tree cover loss at 32.2 kha, compared to the average of 8.40 kha. Following Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Monaragala, Vavuniya, and Kegalle are also significant districts in terms of tree cover loss, and are ranked, respectively.
Illegal mining is another environmental crime that takes place in Sri Lanka. Two persons were detained for their roles in illicit ilmenite mining in the Pulmoddai Grama Niladhari Division, which is under the purview of the Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha in the Trincomalee District. A total of 36,000 MT of ore sand had been unlawfully removed during the previous three years, even though the Police were able to capture the offenders.
The Police Central Anti-Corruption Unit of Panadura busted a large-scale mining racket that was operating without a permit in a five-acre paddy field in Ambalantota. Investigations have also shown that no Police or special Police unit raided this facility, which resulted in significant environmental harm.
The country’s important agricultural economy is, to a large extent, the result of various irrigation systems. Unfortunately, many crimes are occurring around water sources, such as illegal sand mining and gem mining, throughout the country. For instance, one of Sri Lanka's most important water sources is the Kumbukkan Oya. In the immediate area of the Kumbukkan Oya, there has been a rise in the number of persons engaged in illicit gem mining.
In addition to that, poaching is another environmental crime that needs to be discussed widely. One of the largest illicit industries in the world, poaching and wildlife trafficking, brings in between $ 7 billion and $ 23 billion annually, according to a widely reported 2014 UNEP report. Comparing this crime to Sri Lanka, one can see that the latter is an attractive target for poachers because of its status as a biodiversity hotspot with a plethora of indigenous species.
Furthermore, according to the article titled “Poaching and wildlife trafficking in Sri Lanka during Covid-19”, which was written by Dennis Mombauer for the SLYCAN Trust, it has been emphasised that there are two types of poachers in Sri Lanka, namely subsistence and commercial. For food or additional revenue, subsistence poachers target animals like wild boar, sambar, and other deer. The second category, called the commercials, hunts for animal products like leopard hide or elephant tusks to gain money rather than for their sustenance. In addition to participating in the international wildlife trade and frequently working with organised transitional groups, they sell live animals or animal parts to clients in the United States, Europe, and China.
Although commercial poaching is not as big an issue in Sri Lanka as it is in India or most of Africa, it is nevertheless a problem. However, the illegal export of organisms and parts, internal trade, and bushmeat hunting are major concerns for Sri Lanka.
The mitigation process
Law enforcement agencies have to devote these kinds of crimes to top priority and considerable attention because they frequently operate beyond the scope of the general public.
Law enforcement agencies support both the general wellbeing of the communities that they serve and the preservation of natural resources by assigning environmental offences the priority that they deserve. Despite being less obvious, these crimes have a significant impact on public health, ecosystems, and sustainable development.
Apart from that, community engagement is another crucial factor in mitigating environmental crimes. Raising awareness about environmental crimes within local communities; empowering communities to report suspicious activities such as illegal mining, illegal trafficking and logging, illegal dumping, and wildlife crimes through hotlines or online platforms; and fostering partnerships between communities, law enforcement, and non-governmental organisations can be considered as significant measures to address environmental crimes collectively.
Whistleblower protection is another dynamic aspect in securing the environment from crimes. Strategies such as implementing laws to protect whistleblowers who report environmental crimes along with establishing anonymous reporting mechanisms to encourage individuals to come forward with information can be implemented effectively to safeguard the environment.
Apart from security measures to mitigate environmental crimes, there are also religious perspectives. According to Buddhism, the Buddha once preached in the Vanaropa Sutta in the Samyutta Nikaya that gardening and forestation are acts that increase the doer’s merit every day. Furthermore, Islam is against the cutting or deforestation of plants and trees unnecessarily, as evident in the following Hadith where Muhammad said: “He who cuts a lot of trees (without justification), Allah will send him to hellfire.”
The devastation caused by deforestation in many countries leads to soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity on earth. Hinduism emphasised environmental protection through dharam (righteous duty) and ahimsa (non-violence). Nature is honoured as divine in texts like the Upanishads and the Vedas, highlighting the interdependence of all living things. The Yajurveda’s eco-friendly rituals and practices, such as the maintenance of groves, are prominent examples of Hinduism’s dedication to a healthy and peaceful coexistence with the environment.
The Christian concept of stewardship, which sees humans as stewards of God's creation, promotes environmental protection. As mentioned in the Bible, Genesis 2:15 indicates: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it,” emphasising the responsibility of humanity for the environment. To fulfil this stewardship responsibility, many Christian denominations and leaders promote environmental awareness and appropriate resource management.
In conclusion, environmental crimes are emerging as a growing threat. The impact of these crimes is immeasurable. Hence, it is imperative that we take action against these crimes to protect our environment. To lessen the consequences of this issue, the country can implement security measures, and individuals can think from their hearts and actively contribute to environmental protection. Following religious beliefs can also help in understanding the true value of the environment.
(The writer is a research assistant at the Institute of National Security Studies. The opinions expressed are his own and not necessarily reflective of the Institute or the Ministry of Defence)
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.