On 20 March 2024, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) launched ECO-SOLVE, a global EU-funded programme aimed at disrupting illicit environmental flows, at an event in Brussels. This three-year project, part of the Global Illicit Flows Programme (GIFP), aims to effectively monitor the online trade, extract useful and digestible data that can inform law enforcement and private sector action, while driving greater transparency and accountability in trickling illicit online markets. The programme also aims to address biodiversity loss and climate change in cooperation with the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).
ECO-SOLVE’s objectives include building global databases on wildlife trafficking, uncovering evidence of elite corruption behind the illegal timber industry, supporting law enforcement efforts, empowering local communities, and contributing to effective global policy formulation. The launch event outlined strategies to achieve these goals, with participants including European Commission staff, EMPACT and GIFP representatives, organised crime experts, intergovernmental officials, and non-profit organisations.
Challenges highlighted at the event include corruption within conservation areas and the role of the internet in wildlife trafficking. Chief ranger Cathy Dreyer from Kruger National Park in South Africa discussed corruption impact on rhino poaching and illegal hunting, while representatives from civil society, law enforcement, and the private sector shared best practices for combating online wildlife trafficking. Initiatives like the EU’s Digital Services Act and financial monitoring by institutions such as Standard Chartered Bank were emphasised as crucial tools.
The importance of community involvement in addressing environmental crime was also underscored. Speakers highlighted raising awareness among community members, supporting indigenous communities, and fostering trust between law enforcement and local populations.
The event achieved in presenting ECO-SOLVE’s commitment to supporting law enforcement, community groups, and building networks to combat environmental crime, thus contributing significantly to global conservation efforts.
