At the recent United for Wildlife Global Summit, the Egmont Group reaffirmed its commitment to combating environmental crimes through the strategic use of financial intelligence.
Representing the Egmont Group, Elżbieta Franków-Jaśkiewicz, Chair of the Egmont Group, addressed the roundtable question: “How would the Egmont Group support enhanced global cooperation to address crimes that affect the environment?” Her remarks highlighted the growing urgency of tackling environmental crimes; one of the fastest-expanding forms of transnational organized crime and the unique role of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) in tracing the illicit financial flows behind environmental harm.
Following the Money Behind Environmental Crime
FIUs are increasingly detecting suspicious transactions, cross-border payments, and cash-flow patterns linked to environmental offenses. These insights allow authorities to uncover the hidden financial architecture of criminal networks, support asset recovery, and expose corruption that enables illegal resource exploitation. The Egmont Group’s latest findings show that even jurisdictions not directly affected by environmental crimes are identifying related financial activity, underscoring the need for global cooperation.
Protecting Integrity and Policy Through Intelligence
The Chair emphasized that financial intelligence is a powerful tool in safeguarding environmental and climate policies. FIUs help identify unexplained wealth and suspicious activity involving politically exposed persons, thereby protecting public trust and institutional integrity.
A Global Platform for Cooperation
The Egmont Group provides a secure platform for FIUs to exchange intelligence and build capacity through initiatives such as:
- Its secure network
- Specialized working groups
- ECOFEL training programs
Collaboration with partners like INTERPOL, UNODC, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) ensures that financial intelligence complements law enforcement and policy efforts.
A Call to Action
Financial intelligence can be a decisive force in protecting the environment. By connecting financial data with environmental risk, FIUs can expose criminal profiteering, deter corruption, and ensure that crime does not pay. As Franków-Jaśkiewicz noted, “Every dollar recovered from environmental exploitation is a step toward restoring justice and sustainability.”
The Egmont Group remains committed to advancing this mission and supporting global efforts to combat environmental crime.
