Webinar: Crimes that Affect the Environment and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime

All organisational and individual members of the IAP are invited to join us for a webinar organised jointly by the International Association of Prosecutors Global Training Academy and Wildlife Justice Commission.

Speakers:

1.    Lisa Hartevelt, Director of Policy, Wildlife Justice Commission
2.    Dania Bruwer, Senior State Advocate, National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa

Facilitator: Irina Beridze, Executive Programme Manager, International Association of Prosecutors

Crimes that affect the environment (CAE) often constitute forms of transnational, serious organised crime. They are often facilitated by corruption and linked to other crimes, including financial crime and money laundering.

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) contains important tools for addressing such crimes, including provisions on mutual legal assistance, extradition, special investigative techniques, joint investigations, asset confiscation, and international cooperation. However, in many jurisdictions, CAE offences are not classified as “serious crimes” under domestic law, preventing the application of key UNTOC provisions.  

In 2024, UNTOC Resolution 12/4 established an Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Group (IEG) on CAE to examine gaps and the possible development of an additional Protocol to UNTOC focused on CAE. Discussions will continue in the lead-up to the Thirteenth Conference of the Parties to UNTOC (COP13) in October this year, where a possible negotiating mandate for such a Protocol will be discussed.

The webinar aims to provide prosecutors with a brief overview of ongoing UNTOC discussions relating to CAE and a platform to exchange views on challenges in cross-border CAE investigations and prosecutions, gaps in international cooperation and legal frameworks, and the potential benefits that stronger international frameworks - including a possible additional Protocol to UNTOC - could bring in practice.

At the end of the webinar, a brief introduction will be given to WJC’s OCTOPUS project - an easy-reference legal database which can be of assistance to prosecutors working on cross-border wildlife crime. The database consolidates State, national, and international laws and regulations, and information on competent national authorities, mandates, and prosecutors.  

The attendees will be invited to participate in live Polls during the session.

This 60-minute webinar will be held in English. Attendees can access live translated captions via the Zoom platform during the session. All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance. This webinar will be recorded.

The webinar is open to all IAP organisational and individual members and WJC invitees. 

For more details, please contact Ms. Irina Beridze, Executive Programme Manager of the IAP, at epm@iap-association.org

We look forward to welcoming you at the webinar!