People continue to engage in harmful behaviors toward the environment. Environmental crimes in Africa have increased, similar to other regions.
According to UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), environmental crimes have become the fourth largest form of organized crime in the world, after drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and human trafficking.
The most well-known examples of these crimes include illegal hunting, illegal fishing, the trafficking of ozone-depleting substances, illegal logging, and the timber trade.
Historically, the continent has been rich in natural resources and biodiversity, but recently, these are increasingly being harmed. Therefore, combating this degradation has become an urgent necessity.
Dr. Adedoyin Adeleke highlighted that Africa loses $195 billion annually due to these issues, which is more than ten times the total budget of one of the continent’s largest economies, Nigeria. He also mentioned that this figure could double in the next two years.
He emphasized that the problem is not only economic but that environmental crimes could also affect food security and employment.
“Unfortunately, our abundant biodiversity, widespread poverty, weak regulatory frameworks, and low detection and conviction risks make Africa a primary target for illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, hazardous waste dumping, and other environmental violations.”
“These violations are often concentrated in remote and marginalized communities that are typically inaccessible to traditional security, government, and even media. While these crimes are appropriately referred to as ‘environmental crimes,’ in reality, considering their extensive economic and social impacts, they can be defined as ‘crimes against humanity.'”
“These illegal activities not only devastate the lives of millions of Africans who depend on ecosystems and ecosystem services, but they also fuel corruption, promote money laundering, and weaken the rule of law.”
“As a result, developing African economies lose billions of dollars in potential revenue and development opportunities, while a small group of criminals profits. This leads to a dilemma, often described in Nigerian slang as ‘the monkey works, the baboon gets the cut.'”
The use of technology may be the biggest solution to these problems. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that digital technologies could play a functional role in reversing the negative situation, but he also emphasized that this solution alone is not sufficient. He stated that for digital technologies to be effective, they must be integrated with other solutions.
To combat environmental crimes, Green Growth Africa has launched the EcoJustice Africa initiative. EcoJustice Africa focuses on empowering citizens through digital innovation, data validation, stakeholder engagement, evidence-based advocacy, data-driven policy involvement, and strategic litigation to promote environmental justice in Africa.
The strategic use of such digital technologies could help track environmental crimes and violations, and to some extent, prevent these issues. However, if Africa is to effectively combat environmental crimes, it must strive to use all alternative solutions efficiently.
