Minutes WG on Crimes that affect the Environment, 11 September 2023
Meeting: WG on Crimes that affect the Environment
September 11, 2023 @ 15:30
Participants:
- Ian Tennant, Chair
- Michela Polimeni, Alliance
- Diara Doukoure, Alliance
- Neil Woods, LEAP UK
- Alastair MacBeath, GI-TOC
- Lisa Hartevelt, Wildlife Justice Commission
- Ingeborg Geyer, ZONTA
- Tobias Krachler, DJP
- Femi Oyebode, RUYADI
- Sarah Pirker, UNODC
Agenda item 1: Presentation of the working group and useful information for participants
IAN TENNANT introduces the Alliance of NGOs. He announces this is the first meeting of the WG on Crimes that Affect the Environment (“WG”) and that its goal is to get to know each other, set out objectives and the scope of the WG, and formulate common goals.
MICHELA POLIMENI introduced the WG and explained it has been created to reflect the increased significance the topic has received at the CCPCJ, the COP to UNTOC and UNODC in general.
She informed the attendees that a survey was sent out to all members of the Alliance asking about their interest in a WG dedicate to environmental crime; numerous responses were received.
She also informed the attendees that on the website of the Alliance there is a web page dedicated to the WG where background documents can be found and consulted.
Agenda item 2: Introduction of the participants
ALASTAIR MACBEATH works for Gi-TOC with particular focus on environmental crime. Works closely with Simone Haysom.
LISA HARTEVELT is the Director of External Relations of the Wildlife Justice Commission. In her work she is focusing on the policy aspects and in assisting local law enforcement agencies in fighting wildlife crime. She is also chair of the UNCAC Working Group on Environmental Crime and Corruption.
INGEBORG GEYER represents Zonta International and is the Chair of the Committee on Sustainable Development. Zonta International has started the campaign “Zonta Says NOW to Gender-Equal Climate Action”.
NEIL WOODS is representing the “international coalition on drug policy reform and environmental justice”. The coalition brings together academics, organisations and activists from different parts of the world with different backgrounds and working in different disciplines. The coalition believes that the biggest barrier to fighting climate change and achieving climate justice is the international drug policy regime because it is the drug markets that provide the vast wealth, which does the most corruption.
Agenda item 3: Setting the terms of references and scope of the WG
One objective of the WG is to highlight the different projects and initiatives related to environmental crime.
When asked how the working group and the Alliance can support the different projects, the participants suggested:
- Help connect with the different networks, share information/name/contacts, so that the projects can reach as many people as possible;
- Give more publicity to the various initiatives;
- Collect information on upcoming events and processes at the UNODC and beyond;
- Make it possible to speak with a strong united voice on the matter;
- Find linkages with other working groups currently present and join forces (ex: UNCAC coalition working group).
The Alliance informs that it is working on a map of NGOs that work on environmental crime and intends to invite them to join the Alliance.
Also, the Alliance suggests contacting the UNODC and making them aware of the existence of the working group.
Members of the WG are invited to share material/reports/findings, so that they can be uploaded on the Alliance’s website.
Agenda item 4: Next steps and future events
The Alliance commits to informing the members of the WG of upcoming events and processes via the website and email communications.
The Alliance reminds the attendees of the next CCPCJ Thematic Discussions on the Implementation of the Kyoto Declaration, which will focus on “Promoting international cooperation and technical assistance to prevent and address all forms of crime” and might be of interest to organisations doing work related to environmental crime.
Email of the working group: env@crimealliance.org
The meeting was adjourned at 16:30.
12 Sep, 2023