What is Green Criminology
Green criminology is a branch of criminology that focuses on studying crimes and harm done to the natural environment. At first, green criminology emerged as a way to study environmental harm from a political-economic perspective.
It drew on theories from critical, radical, and political-economic perspectives, like the “conflict paradigm.” Over the years, fresh interpretations of green criminology have emerged, along with alternative phrases to describe the study of environmental crimes, such as “conservation criminology.” These recent advancements have sparked fresh perspectives on the subject of environmental wrongdoing and fairness.
Green criminology has evolved to incorporate a wider range of theoretical perspectives, including mainstream ones like the “classical paradigm” and the “consensus/positivist paradigm.” In this field, conflict theories still hold some importance.
What is Green Criminology’s primary focus?
“The primary focus of green criminology is on both legal and illegal harm to the environment (ecosystems), humans, and animals.” Environmental criminology is a sub-field of criminology that focuses on the link between crime, space, and location, often known as the geography of crime and criminal behavior. People usually refer to this sub-field as environmental criminology.
In some fundamental ways, environmental criminology and green criminology are not the same. A simple case will help you understand the difference. An environmental criminologist, for example, would look into why crimes happen in certain places, such as why there may be more car thefts in a certain neighborhood or street. The outdoor criminologist would ask these kinds of questions as they surveyed the space: Is there enough lighting on the street? Are there plants or trees that give thieves a place to hide from people who live nearby? Can we modify the surroundings, such as adding lights or trimming back bushes, to reduce the likelihood of car thefts? Should we deploy more police teams to the “hot spot” where car thefts occur? An environmental criminologist’s job is to change the real world in order to stop or lessen illegal behavior.
In this case, the green criminologist would look at things differently. They would be concerned about the potential impact of increased light pollution, which could jeopardize the lives and movements of nighttime animals. An environmental criminologist might argue that removing trees and bushes is necessary to increase car visibility and reduce theft risk. This is because trees and bushes provide important nesting areas for birds and clean the air by taking in carbon and giving off oxygen. The green criminologist might think that more police patrols are a good way to cut down on car crime in the area, but he or she would prefer bike patrols because they don’t release greenhouse gases into the air and are better for the environment.
The environmental criminologist might not think about social harm in the neighborhood, but the green criminologist might. For example, the factory that regularly dumps toxic waste into nearby waterways or the hazardous waste site next to homes could be examples of such harm. The idea of the environment is at the heart of both green criminology and environmental criminology, but it can mean very different things at times.
Definition of green criminology
It is not feasible to establish a widely acknowledged definition within the realm of green criminology. To properly define the phrase “green criminology,” one must first understand where the word “green criminology” came from and who coined it. Michael Lynch first used the phrase “green criminology” in 1990. Matthew Hall claims that ecofeminism, ecological racism, and ecological socialism served as Lynch’s inspiration. Therefore, we can trace the word’s origins back to sociological concerns about mitigating environmental damage. In the early 2000s, the introduction of an environmental perspective was a crucial moment in the formation of the theory of green criminology. There are two different perspectives when it comes to defining green criminology. The first view focuses on environmental justice, while the second view emphasizes the responsibility of corporations for environmental crimes. Both perspectives agree that harm and crime play a central role in green criminology.
To include green crimes within the realm of criminology is the goal of green criminology, which is an offshoot of criminology that is radical and critical in its approach. The primary focus of existing criminology theories is to understand and explain street crime, with the aim of shedding light on the motives and actions of individuals who commit crimes against others. Green criminologists have discovered that traditional theories of criminology are unable to address environmental harms, highlighting the need for a new approach.
Why green criminology is important
The importance of green criminology is that it acts as a public advocate on behalf of nature and the environment, trying to prevent and protect the Earth from environmental harm.
Teaching it in schools also aims to introduce a whole new group of people to new ways of thinking about the Earth.
We need to discuss the concept of eco-justice and focus on adopting an eco-centric perspective on our connection to the natural world. In the event that we are aware that climate change is occurring and that it is driven by human activity, the issue that arises is why it continues to occur. Criminology can come up with concepts such as “ecocide,” which means that we are destroying the planet, and “carbon criminals,” which means that we can actually pinpoint the specific industries and individuals. This is because we have foreknowledge of the consequences, which is where criminology comes in.
The truth is, we continue to harm the world in a methodical and consistent manner. Therefore, green criminology explores the problems associated with environmental damage. It takes into consideration not only the issue of climate change but also the issues of plastics and seas, as well as the theft of water. Theft of water is becoming more linked to droughts, and drought is becoming increasingly linked to climatic disruption and climate change, among other things. Therefore, Green Criminology begins to establish linkages between the changes that are occurring in the natural environment and the actions that we, as a society, may take to intervene in order to adjust to and minimize the effects of these changes.
The need of Green Criminology
The idea of green criminology is not a phrase that has been around for a very long time. Although it started out some 30 years ago, it has become a hot topic because it has to do with the world we live in. the most important. Climate change, which is occurring in silence, is now the most pressing concern.
We hear about the next newest superstorm, super typhoon, super drought, or super flood every few weeks, and climate change is fundamentally changing the game for all of us. Climate change is profoundly transforming the globe every second, and every few weeks, we hear about it. Therefore, Green Criminology is intervening to speak about those filthy businesses that are fracking, which are oil and gas firms. These industries are contributing to the carbon emissions that are leading to the destruction of the environment and causing global warming. This is the most important problem that we are facing today.
When it comes to climate change, Green Criminology frames it in terms of ecocide, which is defined as the destruction of all that we are familiar with and love.
The conventional criminological concepts on environmental harm
Criminology’s traditional or conventional preoccupations include working-class criminality and conventional street crime, as well as the pursuit of an ecologically sustainable, egalitarian future where ecological citizenship, precautionary social practices, and intergenerational and intragenerational equity are paramount. Consequently, green criminology consistently scrutinizes the limits of modern sectional social interests, particularly their maintenance methods.
Laws, rules, and international agreements shape the legal definitions of harm on which conventional criminological ideas about environmental damage typically rely. The primary concern revolves around the legality of activities and their classification as either legal or illegal. From this perspective, environmental crimes typically encompass issues such as
- Unlawful actions involve the removal of flora and fauna, such as unauthorized fishing, unregulated logging and timber trade, and the illicit trade of wildlife.
- Pollution offenses include illegal dumping and industrial-related contamination of the air, water, and land.
- Transporting banned substances involves the illegal movement of radioactive materials and the unauthorized transfer of hazardous waste.
Areas of Discussion in Green Criminology
The areas of discussion in green criminology are ecological justice, environmental justice, and species justice, which are precisely explained below:
- The concept of ecological justice examines how we design ecosystems, which consist of both biotic and abiotic components. We are destroying mountaintops, rivers, forests, and all of the animals that live inside these ecosystems. For example, we are destroying ecosystems that include rivers and forests.
- Environmental justice addresses both the general public and specific demographic groups, including children, the poor, the vulnerable, and dispossessed indigenous people.
- The issue of species Justice is concerned with the treatment of animals. Abuse of animals occurs, involving both official and illegal exchanges. In order to combat the mistreatment of animals, species justice exists. Species justice addresses global fundamental issues like ecocide, which involves the loss of human life and harm to various organisms’ well-being.
Examples of Green Criminology
Several historically significant cases have had a significant impact on environmental law and policy around the globe. We can take all those cases as an example of green criminology. Here are a handful that stand out in particular:
Bhopal Gas Tragedy Case (1984): Often referred to as the world’s worst industrial disaster, this case involved a gas leak at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. It led to significant legal battles over liability and compensation for the victims, highlighting the need for stronger industrial safety regulations.
Minamata Disease Case: This case arose from mercury poisoning in Minamata, Japan, which prompted legal action against the Chisso Corporation and led to regulations on industrial pollution and corporate liability.
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992): While not a court case, the Rio Declaration established principles for sustainable development and environmental protection. It has since influenced international environmental law and policy.
Friends of the Earth v. Laidlaw Environmental Services (2000): This case involved a citizen suit under the Clean Water Act against a company for polluting a river. The Supreme Court upheld the right of citizens to sue polluters for environmental damages.
Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency (2007): In this case, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that greenhouse gases are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act, empowering the EPA to regulate emissions from vehicles.
Lacey v. United States (2012): This case dealt with the interpretation of the Lacey Act, a U.S. law that prohibits trade in illegally harvested plants and wildlife. The Supreme Court’s decision broadened the scope of the Act to encompass imported wood products.
Overview
Green criminology is a strategy that draws from several disciplines. The intersection of environmental studies, legal studies, and the humanities in the field of study. During this period of globalization, it is my hope that this multifaceted research will provide the groundwork for a constructive response to environmental justice. However, further study is required in order to provide an appropriate construction of legal framework in accordance with the requirements of society.
References
Shlomo Giora Shoham, Paul Knepper, et.al.(eds.), International Handbook of Crimonology ( CRC Press, Taylor & Francies Group, Parkway NW Suite 300, 2010).
Avi Brisman and Nigel South, ( eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Green Criminology (Routledge, New York, 2020).
Rob White and Diane Heckenberg, Green Criminology- An Introduction to the study of environmental Harm (Routledge, New York, 2014).