green crime T12 Flashcards
Wolf
green crime describes actions that break laws protecting the environment
White
green criminology is any human action that causes environmental harm, whether it is illegal or not
problems with green crime definition
- laws change over time
- may be legal in one country and not another
- who makes these laws?
anthropocentric
economic growth before environment
ecocentric
environment before economic growth
who commits green crime?
- individuals (littering, fly tipping)
- private business organisations (pollution through emission of toxic materials)
- states and govs (military is largest institutional polluter e.g. unexploded bombs, nuclear waste)
- organised crime (mafia paid to dispose waste illegally)
primary green crime
crimes that result directly from the destruction of the earth’s resources
secondary green crime
crime that grows out of the breaking of rules aimed at preventing environmental disasters
examples of primary green crime
- air pollution
- deforestation
- species decline & animal rights
- water pollution
Walters
twice as many people now die from air pollution-induced breathing problems as 20 years ago
air pollution
burning of fossil fuels adds 3bil tons of carbon into atmosphere each year. criminals = Govs, businesses, consumers
deforestation
forests e.g. Amazon destroyed by govs, cattle ranchers & logging companies
examples of secondary green crime
- state violence against oppositional groups
- hazardous waste and organised crime
- environmental discrimination
South
- poorer groups worse affected by pollution
- black communities in USA situated next to garbage dumps or polluting industries
(environmental discrimination)
state violence against oppositional groups
1985 - French secret service blew up Greenpeace ship ‘Rainbow warrior’ attempting to prevent nuclear weapon testing in the South Pacific
victims of green crime
least powerful
marxist view on green crime
leads to profit of ruling class
e.g. illegal industrial pollution cheaper than changing procedures
right realist view of green crime
bridges gaps between means and goals in society
e.g. personal hassle/financial costs of disposing household waste correctly means some people fly tip
‘cost’ may not seem high as less stigma & weaker sanctions
Beck
globalisation of green crime
globalisation of green crime example
2010 - global warming caused heatwaves in Russia caused wildfires and destroyed green belt = Russian export bans and increase on price of grain = Mozambique 30% increase on price of bread = rioting and looting of food stores
Global risk society
Beck - productivity and technology = new ‘manufacturing risks’ - involve harm to environment and consequences for humans such as global warming
global in nature not nature;
positive evaluation of green criminology
by moving definitions, green criminology can develop a globa view on environmental harm which recognises risks to humans and animals
negative green criminology evaluation
green criminology is subjective so different views on what is wrong
marxist evaluation of green criminology
difficulties in classifying ‘green crimes’ are rooted in issues of power. some countries can get away with harm that others can’t
e.g. Japan continues whaling in international waters even though illegal in many countries
2007 European Commission strategies to combat green crime
- enforce existing green laws
- heavier fines
- standardise green guidelines
- more prosecutions
- encourage cooperation across borders
evaluation of European Commission
Samantha Jaryam - ‘rare for councils to prosecute’ and prison sentences are ‘rare’ for environmental crimes
problems with researching green crime
- difficulty in categorisation
- political and moral judgement rather than empirical and value free
