ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY
Environmental crime has become the world's fourth largest crime sector, growing at 2-3 times the rate of the global economy. INTERPOL and UN Environment estimate that natural resources worth up to US$258 billion are being stolen by criminal syndicates, depriving countries of their resources, revenues and development opportunities. UN Environment is working with judges, prosecutors, and enforcement agencies to strengthen national capacities to respond to environmental crimes.
UN Environment partners with the International Bar Association to start an environmental law training programme
UN Environment and the International Bar Association are collaborating on the development of an environmental law training programme for private legal practitioners. The programme will be implemented by national bar associations and law societies, with UN Environment, the International Bar Association and other partners providing technical support within their available resources. This programme comes at a time when UN Environment is deepening its efforts to build the capacity of judges and lawyers on matters concerning environmental law, to enable them to review and improve draft rules of environmental adjudication. Read more...
Courage, innovation and integrity honoured at annual environmental enforcement awards
Nine institutions and individuals from across Asia were recognized by the United Nations, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Interpol, and the Freeland Foundation for outstanding work in preventing transboundary environmental crime, in an annual award ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2018. Wildlife trafficking was in the spotlight as winners from China, India, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam accepted awards for disrupting international criminal networks that have laid waste to wildlife across multiple continents. Read more...
Governments recommit to tackling illegal wildlife trade
Corruption remains a key driver of the illegal wildlife trade. At a conference held in October 2018 in the United Kingdom, governments discussed practical ways of building anti-corruption measures into illegal wildlife interventions. They recognized the detrimental impacts that the illegal trade has economically, environmentally, socially and even security-wise. The high-level forum brought together presidents, prime ministers and ministers of environment from 80 countries and other key wildlife stakeholders to help eradicate illegal wildlife trade and better protect the world’s most iconic species from the threat of extinction. Read more...
Strengthening the capacity of Palestinian officials on international environmental law and environmental diplomacy
In December 2018, UN Environment in consultation with the Environmental Quality Authority of Palestine, organized a workshop in Ramallah, Palestine, to build the capacity of national focal points of the multilateral environmental agreements in the country on integrating international environmental law in diplomacy and national development plans. The workshop was attended by close to 30 officials who expressed their interests in water-related matters and the trans-boundary use of water resources. Since becoming a non-member observer State in the United Nations in 2012, the Palestinian government has, over the years, become a party to several multilateral environmental agreements. Read more...
United Nations honours Park Chief for busting a Thailand tycoon
Wichian Chinnawong, the Kanchanaburi wildlife park chief, arrested a construction billionaire - Premchai Karnasutra - on poaching charges. Wichian was the leader of a group of rangers who arrested a group of hunters in Kanchanaburi Wildlife Park, in Thailand, who were killing and eating endangered animals. Due to his heroic act, Wichian was honoured by the United Nations for outstanding work in preventing transboundary environmental crime. Read more...
Building sustainable judicial capacity in Asia and the Pacific
Legal experts from around the world gathered in November 2018 in Nay Pyi Taw, for a two-day workshop to help Myanmar improve its legal framework in the fight against environmental crime, and to boost Myanmar’s review of environmental and climate change-related legal issues. UN Environment will support Myanmar in implementing its political framework in environmental conservation and climate change, including human rights and environment. Read more...
