International Environmental Law Enforcement Organisations
Cooperation between law enforcement services has seen a proliferation of international, regional and national law enforcement organisations at an international level. One of the main international law enforcement institutions is the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), which in its present form was created in 1956. It is the largest international police organisation in the world with 181 member countries spread over five continents. Every member country has a local Interpol office called a National Central Bureau, which is staffed by police officers from the member country and works to coordinate Interpol goals within their borders. The mission of Interpol is to be the world’s pre-eminent police organisation in support of all organisations, authorities and services whose mission is preventing, detecting, and suppressing crime.
- Interpol advocates that this is achieved by:
- Providing both a global perspective and a regional focus;
- Exchanging information that is timely, accurate, relevant and complete;
- Facilitating international co-operation;
- Co-ordinating joint operational activities of its member countries;
- Making available know–how, expertise and good practice.
Interpol supplies national law enforcement services with information on international crimes committed in other member countries and has developed databases on persons, organisations and businesses of interest that may be involved in international criminal activities. However, environmental crime is a relatively new challenge for law enforcement agencies worldwide and although administrative/civil actions are often an effective response to environmental violations; criminal enforcement is also now seen as an essential factor to prevent and deter environmental crime. Interpol has been actively involved in this area since 1993 when the first meeting on environmental crime was organised upon the request of some member countries. In particular, the two key areas of environmental law enforcement that Interpol are involved in are the illegal shipment of hazardous waste and the illegal trade in endangered species
