Crimes Against Nature: Illegal Industries and the Global Environment

This comprehensive analysis of garbage trafficking, wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing, and illegal logging highlights the difficulty in balancing human interests and environmental responsibility.

The alarming consequences of eco-crime go far beyond the widespread degradation of the natural world; important societal institutions are undermined and negative social and economic impacts also result from garbage trafficking, wildlife trafficking, illegal fishing, and illegal logging. In order to successfully combat these problems, a consistent, international response will be necessary.

Crimes Against Nature: Illegal Industries and the Global Environment addresses an important topic that is largely unknown and rarely documented other than in reports published by environmental NGOs and a limited number of academic articles and journalistic accounts. A comprehensive and up-to-date description of each illicit industry is provided, emphasizing the damages caused, the transnational nature of these activities, the roles played by organized crime and public and private elites, and the range of possible solutions. The author addresses the complexity of balancing human concerns with environmental interests and concludes with information regarding promising recent developments.

• Provides a comprehensive overview of environmental damage worldwide from illicit industries
• Includes coverage of key environmental regulations, including the Basel Convention, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and the Lacey Act
• Presents a chronology of the development of illegal industries and the advent of legislation intended to fight these exploitative businesses
• Includes seven tables relevant to garbage trafficking, wildlife trafficking, and illegal fishing
• A bibliography and endnotes with each chapter document the sources used