The fourth Vice President of the Government Teresa Ribera inaugurates the International Week on Environmental Crime Investigation
The EnviCrimeNet General Assembly of police officers with environmental competences has been held, whose leadership is led by the Civil Guard, which aims to provide advice to the European Institutions on the prevention and prosecution of environmental crimes
The European workshop on environmental crime investigation has also taken place, which is part of the European LIFE Nature Guardians project coordinated together with SEO / BirdLife
The event was attended by the director general of the Civil Guard, María Gámez, and the executive director of SEO / BirdLife, Asunción Ruíz, among other national and international authorities
The Fourth Vice President of the Government and Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, has inaugurated the International Week on Environmental Crime Investigation, in an event that was held today at the “Infanta María Teresa” Residence in Madrid.
The event was attended by the general director of the civil guard, María Gámez, and the executive director of SEO / BirdLife, Asunción Ruíz, among other national and international authorities.
During the day the meeting of the EnviCrimeNet General Assembly of police officers with environmental competences and the workshop on investigation of environmental crimes were held, which is part of the European LIFE Nature Guardians project coordinated together with SEO / BirdLife. Both activities will take place until the next day 4.
In the meeting of the General Assembly of EnviCrimeNet, whose presidency leads during this 2020 Spain, through the SEPRONA of the Civil Guard, the program that is to be developed during the presidency is presented.
The director general of the Civil Guard wanted to thank in her words the authorities present at this inauguration and stressed the importance of the two activities that are held this week, the European workshop for the analysis of the environmental protection and environmental protection. preparation of proposals, framed in the European Life Nature Guardians project; and of the General Assembly of EnviCrimeNet, "especially relevant for the protection of the environment, a responsibility that concerns us all and from which no one can abstract."
María Gámez has highlighted the commitment of the Civil Guard and the important role of Seprona, founded in 1988 and which has almost “2,000 troops – 'guardians' – responsible for the defense of the environment and its resources, as entrusted in exclusive to the Civil Guard the organic law of State Security Forces and Bodies ”and that exceeds 100,000 actions annually.
He wanted to highlight the imminent implementation of the National Central Office of the Environment, created within the framework of the TIFIES Plan – Against Illegal Trafficking and International Furtivism of Wild Species -, led by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge .
EnviCrimeNet network
EnviCrimeNet is a network created by Council Resolution of May 20, 2011, formed by police bodies with environmental competencies and pursues the objective of providing advice to the European Institutions in the prevention and prosecution of environmental crimes.
On the other hand, the workshop on the investigation of environmental crimes framed in the European LIFE Nature Guardians project has focused on the analysis of the legal situation of the fight against the criminal protection of the environment. Likewise, various aspects related to the protection of the environment from the point of view of the security forces have been discussed.
These meetings have a marked global character, with the assistance of representatives from more than 40 countries in Europe, Africa and America, organizations such as Europol, Interpol and Frontex, and representatives of the IMPEL networks (of environmental administrative authorities), ENPE (environmental prosecutors ) and EUFJE (judges).
Environmental crimes
Environmental crimes occupy the 3rd position in the criminal ranking, being considered as one of the most lucrative criminal activities, they are a growing criminal modality, and with a potentially devastating impact on the entire population.
In this sense, Spain occupies a privileged place in terms of natural resources and areas of special environmental protection is concerned, being the country of the European Union with greater biodiversity and sharing the first place with the United States as the first country in the world in reserves of the Biosphere recognized by UNESCO.
Thus, in our country, the Government has opted to address this issue, constituting the defense of the environment and the fight against climate change, one of its priorities.
In support of these actions, from the police point of view, the main actor in the fight against these types of crimes is the SEPRONA of the Civil Guard, which during this week will lead working groups involving more than 48 countries worldwide .
Other activities
On March 5 and 6, meetings on Marine Pollution will also take place and the conclusions of the operation “30 days at sea”, coordinated by Interpol / Europol, on marine pollution will be offered. It is an operation of great global interest, in which the SEPRONA of the Civil Guard has participated.
All these meetings are aligned with the Government's policy, reflected, among other issues, with the recent creation of a Vice Presidency for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, the creation of a National Atmospheric Pollution Control Program and the declaration of Climate Emergency carried out by the Council of Ministers on January 21.
