(Continued) Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife and other Crimes that Affect the Environment - High-level debate, General Assembly, 80th session

The high-level debate will raise awareness on the scale and complexity of crimes that affect the environment, and their impact on security, sustainable development and human rights.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 00:49:46
• Production Date: 8 June 2026
• Asset Language: Arabic; English; French; Russian; Spanish; Chinese; Original
• Subject Topical: CRIME PREVENTION; ENVIRONMENT; WILDLIFE; CRIME; WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
• MAMS Id: 3584581
• Parent Id: 3583483
• Alternate Title: MTG GA 80 SESSION HL DEBATE WILDLIFE ENVIRONMENT 08 JUN 2026 PM

Description

The high-level debate will raise awareness on the scale and complexity of crimes that affect the environment, and their impact on security, sustainable development and human rights. The meeting will offer a platform to reiterate the strategic importance of preventing and combating this type of crime, to share information on their trends and exchange good practice in responding to them. The meeting will also contribute to addressing the relationship between crimes that affect the environment and corruption.

Crimes that affect the environment, including trafficking in wildlife, are increasingly recognized as a significant threat to global security and sustainable development by degrading biodiversity and ecosystems, linking with organized crime, hindering climate action, undermining the rule of law, eroding economies, exacerbating social inequalities, and threatening human health.

Since over a decade various intergovernmental bodies have adopted resolutions recognizing illicit trafficking in wildlife and environmental crime as part of other transnational organized crimes. The adoption of such resolutions signified a major step forward in raising awareness of the growing threat that environmental crime poses to peace and security and sustainable development.

• Plenary segment with interventions from Member States and Observers of the General Assembly

Members States and Observers of the General Assembly, UN entities and stakeholders participating in the high-level debate are invited to share existing promising practices from across regions, reflecting on effective national and regional policies, including the importance of community involvement in responding to crimes that affect the environment.

Statements delivered:

• Mexico
• Iran (Islamic Republic of)
• Kenya
• Armenia
• United States
• France
• United Arab Emirates
• Nepal
• International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
• United Nations Environment Programme
• Stakeholder 1 - Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime
• Stakeholder 2 - Untied for Wildlife Initiative
• Stakeholder 3 - Wildlife Conservation Society
• Stakeholder 4 - Environmental Investigation Agency US
• Stakeholder 5 - Wildlife Justice Commission