Green Crime

Question 1

overview

Answer 1

Green or environmental crime can be defined as crime against the environment. Much green crime can be linked to globalisation, globalised industry & the increasing interconnectedness of societies (e.g. the increase in global transport). Despite separate nation-states, the planet is a single eco-system & threats to the eco-system are increasingly global rather than merely local in nature (e.g. atmospheric pollution from one country causing acid rain or other destructive weather conditions in another).

Question 2

human made

Answer 2

Most of the threats to human well being & the eco-system are now human-made rather than natural. Ulrich Beck describes late modern society as ‘global risk society’ as we can now provide adequate resources for all (at least in developed countries) but the massive increase in productivity & technology have created dangers we have never faced before involving harm to the environment. Beck argues that:
• In late modern society, the massive increase in productivity & technology has created new, ‘manufactured risks’.
• Many of these involve harm to the environment & have serious consequences for humanity, e.g. climate change.