Environmental Criminal Law: A Vital Part of the Regulatory Framework

Abstract

According to recent studies the transnational environmental crime is worth between USD 70 and 213 billion per year. The paper at hand focuses on the perspective of criminal law in order to discuss its role in fight against plundering the planet for a quick profit and illustrates the dimensions of environmental crime pointing out especially the nexus with organized crime and corruption. The ques- tions which will be addressed in this paper are: What is environmental crime and its prevention, tracing and prosecution all about? To what extent are markets and tech- nological innovation criminally linked with environmental threats and offences? What kind of difficulties are to be met in practical terms in handling with this “crime scene”? Are there ways of dealing with them? And how does a rational violator think? 1