With an aim to fight nature crime by building bridges across disciplinary, geographic, and jurisdictional domains a new global initiative- Nature Crime Alliance has been launched which includes countries such as Norway, the United States, and Gabon.
“Nature crimes threaten our collective security. They undermine the rule of law, fuel corruption, destroy ecosystems, and drive species to the brink of extinction—all the while providing billions of dollars to transnational criminal syndicates that prey upon the world’s most vulnerable populations. We all must stand together to stop the criminals who are threatening the health of our planet – and that is why the United States is proud to support the Nature Crime Alliance,” said Jennifer R Littlejohn, Acting Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US State Department.
The Alliance which was launched during a side event at the GEF Assembly in Vancouver is a global, multi-sector network that raises political will, mobilizes financial commitment, and bolsters operational capacity to fight nature crime and the international criminal activities with which it converges.
Recognizing the urgency and complexity of the issue, the Nature Crime Alliance emerges as a crucial network that seeks to enhance collaboration and coordination between organizations fighting nature crime.
“Nature is under extreme pressure from illegal human activities. If the world is to meet the global goals of the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework, illicit exploitation of natural resources must come to an end. Norway has been a firm supporter of the Nature Crime Alliance since its inception and we are eager to begin this work together with partners from across the globe,” said Hans Brattskar, Norway’s Special Envoy for Climate and Environment.
Hosted by World Resources Institute (WRI), the Alliance aims to mobilize governments and other non-state actors to scale up efforts to disrupt the criminal networks perpetrating these crimes globally.
Nature crime – a term encompassing criminal forms of logging, mining, wildlife trade, land conversion, crimes associated with fishing, and the illegal activities with which they converge – stands as one of the largest illicit economies in the world, presenting serious environmental, economic and security challenges for governments, communities and businesses alike.
The initiative will be supported with the involvement of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Interpol, along with frontline defenders, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives.
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