The Nature Crime Alliance officially launched during the GEF Assembly in Vancouver on 23 August, 2023. Watch the event in full below.

MEDIA RELEASE

VANCOUVER (August 23, 2023) — A new global initiative that is building bridges across disciplinary, geographic, and jurisdictional domains in the fight against nature crime officially launches today.

The governments of Norway, the United States, and Gabon are the first to join the Nature Crime Alliance – a global, multi-sector network that raises political will, mobilises financial commitment, and bolsters operational capacity to fight nature crime and the international criminal activities with which it converges. 

The Alliance’s inclusive approach also welcomes the involvement of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Interpol, along with frontline defenders, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives, underscoring the significance of collaborative multi-sectoral action in safeguarding people and planet.

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.

Recognising the urgency and complexity of the issue, the Nature Crime Alliance emerges as a crucial network that seeks to enhance collaboration and coordination between organisations fighting nature crime. Hosted by World Resources Institute (WRI), the Alliance aims to mobilise governments and other non-state actors to scale up efforts to disrupt the criminal networks perpetrating these crimes globally.

The Alliance was officially launched during a side event at the GEF Assembly in Vancouver today. The launch event brought together representatives from a wide range of sectors to discuss how the Alliance can energise the global response to nature crime. A joint statement – the Vancouver Statement on Nature Crime – was also issued by founding members of the Alliance.

Comments from across the sectors in the Nature Crime Alliance

Jennifer R Littlejohn, Acting Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US State Department, said:

“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.”

Hans Brattskar,  Norway’s Special Envoy for Climate and Environment, said:

“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.”

Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, said:

“Organised crime groups are desecrating nature’s fragile ecosystems by engaging in wildlife trafficking, illegal mining, waste trafficking, and other illicit activities. It’s time for global action to end the criminal exploitation and degradation of nature for financial gain. Through our global field presence and long-standing experience in delivering technical assistance and capacity-building support, UNODC can provide law enforcement with the tools and expertise to tackle the criminal networks behind these crimes and preserve our planet for future generations.”

Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO, World Resources Institute (WRI) said:

“Complex global challenges such as nature crime cannot be solved in isolation. The Nature Crime Alliance seeks to drive greater collaboration across different sectors and disciplines to  help eradicate crimes against people and planet. WRI is proud to host the Alliance as it builds a global, multi-sector response to nature crime.”

Joan Carling, Executive Director, Indigenous Peoples Rights International, said:

“The persistent misconception of Indigenous Peoples as perpetrators of nature crime needs to change towards building partnerships with these communities as stewards of nature.

“The importance of the Nature Crime Alliance for us is that it respects Indigenous Peoples’ rights, recognising the value of traditional knowledge and skills in developing conservation measures and strategies that strengthen law enforcement and monitoring.”

Joe Walston, WCS Executive Vice President for Global Conservation Programs, said:

“For too long, we have ignored conservation crimes and the impacts they have had on people, especially the most vulnerable, and to the planet. There has never been a more urgent need for the Nature Crime Alliance, which is working across intergovernmental treaties, agreements, and organizations to prevent, disrupt, and prosecute these crimes to the fullest.”

Yulia Stange, Director of the Nature Crime Alliance, said:

“The Alliance has identified several areas in which its collaborative, multi-sector approach can have a major impact in the fight against nature crime. These include projects to identify and disrupt financial flows linked to nature crime; efforts to accelerate the development and uptake of innovative tools and technology; and work to strengthen the capacity of frontline defenders, such as Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

“The diverse range of participants in the Alliance reflects a growing consensus around the challenges posed by nature crime, and a determination to eradicate these crimes globally.”

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Organisations that wish to join the Alliance can find out how to do so by visiting naturecrimealliance.org

For more information about this media release, including interview requests, please contact Luke Foddy, Nature Crime Alliance Communications Associate, at: luke.foddy@wri.org

Issued 23 August 2023

‘Today, we are joining together to form the Nature Crime Alliance – a new, multi-sector approach to fighting criminal forms of logging, mining, wildlife trade, land conversion, crimes associated with fishing, and the illegal activities with which they converge. 

Nature crime constitutes one of the largest illicit economies in the world, inflicting devastation and destruction upon people and planet. We recognise that these crimes cannot be eradicated without multi-sector cooperation, and that there is a pressing need for greater coordination and collaboration among the diverse actors fighting nature crime. A new approach is needed.  

We have formed the Alliance in recognition of this need, with members including representatives from governments, law enforcement, international organisations, civil society organisations, front line defenders including Indigenous Peoples and local communities, donors, and the private sector.  

We will work together, through the Alliance, to raise political will, mobilise financial commitment, and strengthen operational capacity to fight nature crime. Through a range of initiatives – from solutions-focused working groups convening representatives across different sectors, to structured communications channels that enable open dialogue and the sharing of best practice – the Alliance is building a new, international, collaborative response to nature crime.  

This is the first time that such a multi-sector approach to this global challenge has been developed on this scale, with the Alliance marking a key moment in the fight against nature crime. We encourage governments and organisations that share our determination to end environmental injustice and protect people and planet to join us in the Nature Crime Alliance.’

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Issued by founding participants of the Nature Crime Alliance, including:

The Government of Norway
The Government of the United States
The Government of Gabon
UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Interpol
Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime
Wildlife Justice Commission
Wildlife Conservation Society
TRAFFIC
Indigenous Peoples Rights International
Amazon Conservation Association
Environmental Investigation Agency US
Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI)
Instituto Igarape
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Rainforest Foundation UK
Earth League International
World Forest ID
Mongabay

For more information about this joint statement, please contact secretariat@naturecrimealliance.org

The Nature Crime Alliance officially launches on 23 August 2023 during the Global Environment Facility Assembly in Vancouver, Canada.

Founding members of the Alliance, including officials from governments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations, will discuss the pressing need for global action on nature crime, and the role the Alliance can play in meeting this need.

A new initiative

Nature crime – a term encompassing criminal forms of logging, mining, fishing, wildlife trade, land conversion, and associated illegal activities – stands as one of the largest illicit economies in the world, presenting serious environmental, economic and security challenges for governments, communities and businesses alike.  

Recognising the urgency and complexity of the issue, the Nature Crime Alliance emerges as a crucial network that seeks to enhance collaboration and coordination between organisations fighting nature crime. Hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Alliance aims to mobilise governments and other relevant non-state actors to scale up efforts to disrupt the criminal networks perpetrating these crimes globally. 

Get involved

Only delegates at the GEF Assembly can access the launch event on 23 August, but the Alliance is also hosting an evening reception on 24 August for non-GEF delegates. If you’d like to know more about the launch events, or about the Nature Crime Alliance in general, please contact secretariat@naturecrimealliance.org