On 8 June 2026, Ambassador Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the United Nations, told the UN General Assembly High-Level Debate on Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife that environmental crimes have evolved into a highly sophisticated, industrial-scale form of transnational organised crime generating billions in criminal wealth. Speaking on behalf of the EU and its member states, she stressed that these crimes accelerate the triple planetary crisis of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss, and are deeply interlinked with drug trafficking, corruption and other organised crime.
The statement, delivered at UN headquarters in New York, highlighted Europe's role as both a transit point and destination market for wildlife trafficking, citing Europol's Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment. Samson called for closer coordination between law enforcement, customs, environmental agencies and the judiciary to ensure coherent detection, investigation and prosecution. She noted that Indigenous Peoples, local communities and nature defenders are on the frontline and face severe threats, urging thorough investigation of attacks against environmental defenders.
The EU welcomed last year's resolution on the topic tabled by Brazil at the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) and expressed appreciation to Peru for chairing the UNTOC Expert Group on crimes that affect the environment. Samson pointed to ongoing discussions on a possible additional protocol on environmental crime to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) as an opportunity to improve legal alignment.
On EU domestic action, Samson referenced the Environmental Crime Directive that entered into force in May 2024, which requires member states to implement by May 2026, empowering authorities with special investigation techniques. She also cited the Revised EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking and the recently adopted Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law as key frameworks.
The EU financially supports UNODC through the Global Initiative Global United Action to Reduce and Dismantle Organised Wildlife Crime and targeted projects in Uganda and South-East Asia. Samson highlighted the EU-funded ECO-SOLVE initiative and its Global Monitoring System, which uses AI and open-source intelligence to track illegal digital marketplaces. She called for integrating DNA forensics, stable isotope analysis, mobile reporting and geospatial tools into law enforcement and customs work.
Samson concluded by calling on all global partners to reinforce international cooperation, enhance enforcement capacities, and protect ecosystems and the rule of law.
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