green criminology Flashcards
what is green criminology?
branch of criminology that involves the study of harms and crimes against the environment broadly conceived, including the study of environmental law and policy, the study of corporate crimes against the environment, and environmental justice from a criminological perspective
what is green crime?
crimes committed against the environment, green crime is the focus of green criminologists
what key areas are considered in green criminology?
green criminology examines offences (crimes against the environment), offenders (who commits these crimes and why), victims (who suffers from environmental damage), and responses (policing, punishment, and crime prevention)
what theoretical aspects does green criminology explore?
green criminology investigates the social, economic, and political conditions that lead to environmental crimes, as well as the philosophical question of which types of harms should be considered crimes
how does globalisation relate to green crime?
globalisation is seen as an important factor in green crime, with some environmental crimes being local (like fly-tipping) while others, such as pollution, cross national boundaries
what concept is linked to Ulrich Beck’s work on global risk society?
Ulrich Beck’s modernist work discusses issues like global warming and the risks they pose to the entire world, emphasising the interconnectedness of environmental crimes across borders
what is primary green crime?
offences that are directly committed against or cause harm to the environment: Four categories of crime: air pollution, crimes of deforestation, crimes of species decline and animal rights and water pollution
what is secondary green crime?
further offences arising from exchange rules relating to the environment. The flouting of rules relating to environmental disasters- include state violence against oppositional groups – such as Greenpeace and XR and Hazardous waste dumping – including the role of organised crime
why is green criminology often considered interdisciplinary?
green criminology is seen as interdisciplinary because it draws from various fields but lacks a unique theory or specific theoretical approach, resulting in a diverse but unfocused body of literature
what is the nature of much of the green criminological literature?
much of the green criminological literature is qualitative and descriptive, and it generally does not provide a unique or unified theory
what criticism is made about the focus of traditional criminology?
traditional criminology is criticised for being narrowly focused only on matters deemed ‘criminal,’ which some scholars argue limits the scope of criminological study
what alternative focus do some scholars advocate for in criminology?
some scholars advocate for adopting a broader notion of ‘harm’ as the focus of criminological attention, rather than restricting it to just criminal acts
what is a central debate in green criminology?
a central discussion in green criminology is whether the focus should be on environmental harm rather than just environmental crime
how should green crimes be viewed in relation to mainstream criminal justice?
there is a debate on whether green “crimes” should be addressed by mainstream criminal justice agencies like the police or if they should be considered outside of the traditional criminal justice framework
what implications does the focus on environmental harm have for criminology?
focusing on environmental harm could broaden the scope of criminology, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the impacts of environmental issues beyond just legal definitions of crime
how is the concept of ‘crime’ defined?
the concept of ‘crime’ is often seen as a legal construction that varies historically, geographically, and based on political decisions
what challenges arise from the legal construction of crime?
the definition of ‘crime’ can differ according to time, place, and political decision-making, which limits its ability to address the range of human activities leading to suffering or environmental harm
who are Paddy and Steve Tombs, and what is their contribution to criminology?
Paddy Hillyard and Steve Tombs have influenced critical criminology by examining the notion of ‘social harm’ and suggesting it offers a broader understanding of the causes of human suffering and environmental harm compared to traditional crime studies
what longstanding challenge does criminology face regarding “crime” and “harm”?
criminology must decide whether to focus solely on legally defined crimes or also study activities within lawful practice that have harmful consequences
what might merit legal proscription and response in criminology?
activities that, while lawful, have harmful consequences that can be evidenced and recognised as problematic by some
who are the authors that discuss the distinction between “crime” and “harm”?
South, Short, and Higgins (2013) highlight the challenge in criminology regarding the study of crime versus harm
what is anthropocentric harm?
a perspective that emphasises the superiority of humans over all living and non-living entities and therefore assumes that the environment is there to serve human needs. It considers harm to the environment from the perspective of humanity. Pollution is a problem because it damages human water supply or causes diseases that are expensive to overcome; climate change is a problem because of its impact on people and the economic cost of dealing with it
what is ecocentric harm?
sees all species and the rest of the natural world as being involved in a complex interdependent system, and consequently viewing environmental sustainability as being as important as human survival and the survival of other species. Does not differentiate between humans and the rest of the ecosystem; see harm to any aspect of the environment damaging it all. Therefore, crimes such as animal cruelty or habitat destruction are green crimes, whether or not there is any specific human cost
what is biocentrism harm?
in which it is assumed that all living creatures are of equal worth (humans are just another species) and that therefore humans should be concerned with the ways in which environmental resources are utilised and affect all species
what are 4 examples of environmental harm?
- climate change
- abuse and harm to animals
- threats to biodiversity
- pollution or toxic waste
is wildlife crime a new phenomenon?
no
how did poaching affect wildlife populations throughout most of modern human history?
poaching and other forms of wildlife crime did not have significant deleterious effects on wildlife populations during that time
why was the impact of wildlife crime limited in the past?
animals were taken for subsistence or local commercial trade in relatively small numbers, which constrained the impact of these activities by geography
what is the international community beginning to acknowledge about wildlife crime?
the international community is recognising the magnitude and significance of wildlife crime due to its detrimental effects on biodiversity, economies, security, and communities reliant on wildlife for livelihoods
what are the combined effects of wildlife crime and habitat loss?
toether, wildlife crime and habitat loss are responsible for a significant decline in entire populations of animals, many of which are already endangered
what do some experts argue regarding the current state of species extinction?
some experts argue that the earth is facing its sixth mass extinction, attributing this to human-based activity that causes an estimated loss of 17,000 to 100,000 species annually
what impact has media attention had on wildlife crime?
the increased attention that wildlife crime incidents have received from media organisations and conservationist researchers has spurred inter-disciplinary research on the topic
how have criminologists contributed to the study of wildlife crime?
criminologists have increasingly been studying wildlife crime, to the extent that it is now considered a subfield of research within the greater discipline
what is the estimated value of the illegal wildlife trade?
the illegal wildlife trade, excluding illegal timber trade and IUU fishing, has an estimated value between US$7.8 billion (Haken 2011) and US$20 billion per annum
what are the estimated values of the illegal timber trade and IUU fishing?
the illegal timber trade is estimated to be valued at US$7 billion, while illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is estimated to be valued at upwards of US$23 billion
how does the profit from wildlife, timber, and fish trafficking compare to other illegal trades?
the illicit trade in wildlife, timber, and fish is surpassed in profits only by the trafficking of drugs, guns, and humans, making it one of the most profitable global illegal trades
what has been the general scientific consensus on global warming?
concern about global warming has been expressed for many years by scientists from various disciplines, and it is now accepted by a majority of people as a serious and urgent issue
how have contrarians affected the perception of climate change?
despite systematic denial and downplaying of climate change by contrarians, many of whom have influential connections, awareness of the issue has grown significantly
what contributes to the growing acceptance of climate change as a serious issue?
climate and weather events are increasingly affecting people worldwide, making the impacts of climate change more relatable and urgent for everyone
what is a major barrier to global action on climate change?
a significant barrier is the lack of concentrated global action, largely influenced by the actions of large transnational corporations, particularly in the ‘old energy’ sectors like coal mining
how do transnational corporations compare to nation states in terms of power?
top corporations often possess economic power that surpasses that of many nation states, controlling vast resources such as land, water, and food
in what ways do these corporations influence global climate efforts?
these transnational corporations use their collective power to influence global efforts aimed at addressing climate change, often working to protect their interests and activities
what is one way that opponents of climate change action challenge the science?
they often challenge the science behind climate change, questioning the validity of scientific findings and promoting skepticism
how do business-funded NGOs impact environmental efforts?
they create business-funded environmental NGOs that can promote agendas aligned with corporate interests, potentially undermining genuine environmental effort
what economic argument is frequently emphasised against tackling climate change?
opponents often emphasis the economic cost of addressing climate change, arguing that it would negatively impact businesses and economies
what diplomatic strategy is used to create stalemates in international negotiations?
double-edged diplomacy is employed to create stalemates, preventing meaningful progress in international climate negotiations
how does domestic politics play a role in stalling international progress on climate change?
particularly in the US, domestic politics are leveraged to stall international progress, with policymakers prioritising short-term interests over long-term solutions
in what way do corporations directly influence climate change negotiations?
corporations engage in direct lobbying to influence climate change negotiations, pushing for outcomes that favour their business interests
what are key drivers of continuous conflict related to social inequality?
social inequality and environmental injustice, particularly affecting marginalised populations facing food shortages and lack of clean water
who suffers the most from food shortages and climate-induced hardships?
the dispossessed and marginalised groups, including women, people of colour, and vulnerable populations
how do the impacts of environmental injustice differ among genders?
women typically suffer more than men during crises, facing greater challenges in accessing resources and support
which groups are more affected by environmental hardships beyond gender?
people of colour, particularly indigenous and migrant communities, as well as the young, elderly, infirm, and disabled individuals of all ages
what is the relationship between social inequality and environmental issues?
social inequality exacerbates environmental issues, leading to increased conflict as marginalised groups fight for their rights and resources
what is the first trend where climate change leads to social conflict?
conflicts over environmental resources, where competition for dwindling resources can lead to disputes
what does the second trend, “conflicts linked to global warming,” refer to?
it refers to conflicts that arise directly from the impacts of global warming, such as extreme weather events and rising sea levels
what is meant by “conflict over differential exploitation of resources”?
this trend highlights disputes arising from unequal access and exploitation of resources, often affecting marginalised communities more than others
what does “conflicts over transference of harm” entail?
it involves conflicts that emerge when the negative impacts of climate change are disproportionately transferred to vulnerable populations, often without accountability
what is one crime that may become more prevalent due to climate-related events?
looting and black-marketeering in relation to foodstuffs, as people may resort to illegal means to secure food during shortages
what kind of illegal activities are associated with the depletion of marine resources?
illegal fishing, which can threaten fish populations and disrupt ecosystems
what is a serious crime linked to climate-induced migration?
trafficking in humans, as vulnerable populations may be exploited during their displacement
what type of fraud is connected to carbon emissions?
carbon emission trading fraud, where individuals or companies manipulate carbon credit markets for profit
what motivates criminologists to study animal and plant life?
concerns for species justice and interest in conventional environmental crimes, such as illegal fishing
who are 2 researchers that have contributed to the study of environmental crimes?
- Walters
- Boekhout van Solinge