Number of environmental crimes goes up

A new report of the Finnish National Group for the Monitoring of Environmental Offences said that the number of crimes reported to the pre-trial investigators has increased, said a press release issued by National Police Board.

The number related to impairment of the environment is 202 reports, aggravated impairment of the environment (12), environmental violations (246) and nature conservation (53).

“The importance and protection of natural and environmental values have gained more emphasis recently, partly because of climate change,” said Arto Hankilanoja, Chief Superintendent of the National Police Board, also the Chairman of the Finnish National Group for the Monitoring of Environmental Offences.

This multi-authority group, consisting of pre-trial investigation and supervisory authorities, has been an international pioneer in authority cooperation aimed at operational development and supervisory reporting. Their annual report serves as a model report recommended by Interpol.

According to Hankilanoja, crimes related to aggravated impairment of the environment are usually connected to business activities. Most of the aggravated crimes are connected to impairing the environment with various forms of waste as well as operations that partially or completely breach permit conditions.

“Even in the present situation, climate change can be expected to affect Finnish nature, animals and populations negatively. It is expected that to control climate change, new stricter policies will be introduced that will increase technical and tactical costs created by reducing emissions and waste management. Thus environmental crimes where the perpetrator evades proper emission and waste management to minimize environmental protection costs will become more beneficial to the perpetrator,” said Hankilanoja.