Green Crime

• Definition

  Criminal activity which affects the environment in some way. For example, dumping of toxic waste, fly-tipping, poaching and water pollution
• Franco Aas


  Like organised crime, green crime demonstrates the intersection of local and global as local environmental harm is often the product of global activities. E.g. deforestation to build a new restaurant
• Potter


  Consequences of state sanctioned activities often relate to the environment even if it is only indirectly. Links to abuse of power in pursuit of profit e.g. deforestation to make a new restaurant
• Carrabine et al


  Classifys green crime into two types:

  • Primary: inflict direct harm on the environment and the people. This includes air pollution, water pollution and deforestation
  • Secondary: actions committed as a response to the primary green crime, e.g. attempts to cover it up. This includes France bombing a the 'Rainbow Warrior' Greenpeace boat which exposed where they were dumping nuclear waste
• Other Examples of Green crime

  • BMW, volkswagen faking their CO2 emissions
  • Japan and Whaling
  • China and poaching rhinos for their horns