全球打擊環境犯罪的行動取得了歷史性進展！未來，全世界的警察機構都將全力支持國際刑警組織的「環境犯罪打擊計畫」。
國際刑警組織大會本月8-11日在杜哈召開，與會代表無異議通過決議，推動更強大的全球警力來遏止環境犯罪。所謂的環境犯罪，包括非法貿易野生動植物、木材和海洋物種、跨境運輸有害廢棄物，以及非法開採自然資源。
該決議是由國際刑警組織的188個國家執法機關成員議決，決議文中指出，「環境犯罪沒有國界限制，並涉及包括謀殺、貪污、詐騙和盜竊等組織犯罪網絡。」
決議文也承諾支持華盛頓公約(CITES)，共同打擊環境犯罪。在141個國家超過650名代表考慮此決議之前，CITES秘書長斯坎倫(John Scanlon)簡短致詞說，警察機構是保育社群中不可或缺的一部分，「沒有你的保護、沒有警察的保護，世界上的瀕危動植物將無法得到保障。」。
國際野生動物交易監控網(TRAFFIC International)宣傳部主任扎因(Sabri Zain)說，盜獵者使用的犯罪網路及方法，和軍火販、毒品私梟並無不同。
20日於俄羅斯聖彼得堡登場的世界首屆老虎保育峰會開幕前夕，扎因透過視訊記者會指出，「我們不是在談論窮人，這些人都是專業獵人。他們有四輪傳動車、GPS和突擊步槍。在那邊阻止盜獵者的人員沒有靴子、沒有武器裝備，他們很可能必須搭公車上班，許多公園警衛和管理員被盜獵者殺害。」
「盜獵者是進入園區竊取國家資源的罪犯，但是大多數有虎分佈的國家規定森林巡守員不可以開槍。」世界自然基金會美國分會的老虎計畫主任隆恩(Barney Long)說，「來自國際刑警組織的任何支援都非常重要。老虎盜獵者很少在同一個國家銷贓，而是運出邊界。如果有警力派駐在這13個有老虎的國家，我們就可以促進老虎保育。但是他們沒有足夠資金來處理這類犯罪，這需要錢。」
國際刑警組織的「環境犯罪打擊計畫」，任務是和188個國際刑警組織成員國、環境犯罪委員會共同合作， 為國家環境法律與國際環境公約的執法提供支援。
斯坎倫說，用來取締非法持有、交易兩爬動物的國際刑警作業平台(INTERPOL's Operation RAMP)，最近一次的執法成果，便是「全球執法警力聯手遏止環境犯罪的最佳案例。」該作業平台在今年9-10月的運作期間，結合5大洲51國的警力，致力打擊非法貿易兩爬動物，總計在全球取締沒入數千隻動物，以及總值2500多萬歐元的動物製品。
The police agencies of the world are supporting INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Programme in an historic display of consensus. Delegates attending INTERPOL's General Assembly in Doha, Qatar last week voted unanimously in favor of a resolution encouraging greater global policing efforts to stem environmental crimes.
Environmental crime encompasses activities ranging from illegal trade in wildlife, timber and marine species, to transborder movements of hazardous waste, and the illicit exploitation of natural resources.
The resolution approved by INTERPOL's 188 national law enforcement authority members recognizes that "environmental crime is not restricted by borders and involves organized crime networks which engage in other crime types including murder, corruption, fraud and theft."
The resolution pledges support to back the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, and to fight environmental crime.
Addressing the Assembly shortly before the resolution was considered by more than 650 delegates from 141 countries, CITES Secretary-General John Scanlon said police agencies are an integral and essential part of the conservation community.
"The endangered fauna and flora of the world cannot be safeguarded without you, without the police," he said.
Sabri Zain, director of advocacy, with the wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC International, says poachers use the same networks and methods used by arms dealers and drug traffickers.
"We're not talking about poor people, these are professional hunters. They have 4-wheel drives, GPS, and assault rifles," Zain told reporters in a teleconference on tiger conservation today in advance of the world's first global tiger summit opening in St. Petersburg, Russia on Saturday.
"The people there to stop them don't have boots, they are not armed, they may have to take a bus to work, and many park guards and wardens have been killed by poachers," said Zain.
Dr. Barney Long, manager of the Tiger Program with WWF-US told reporters on the call, "Poachers are criminals going into these parks to steal national resources. But in most tiger range states, rangers are not allowed to shoot; that is the choice of each of the 13 tiger range countries."
"Anything coming out of INTERPOL is hugely important. Tigers are very rarely poached in one country and sold in the same country; they are taken across borders. If you were to get the police forces in the 13 countries involved, we could improve tiger conservation, but they're not getting funded to get involved in these crimes. It takes funding."
INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Programme works to provide assistance and support in the enforcement of national and international environmental laws and treaties by working alongside the 188 INTERPOL member countries and their Environmental Crime Committee.
Scanlon said the recent success of INTERPOL's Operation RAMP, a worldwide operation targeting the illegal trade and possession of reptiles and amphibians, is a "prime example of the global law enforcement community's willingness and desire to work together in stemming the effects of environmental crime."
The two month-long RAMP operation in September and October involved law enforcement agencies in 51 countries across five continents taking action against the illegal trade in reptiles and amphibians. It resulted in arrests worldwide and the seizure of thousands of animals as well as of products worth more than 25 million euros.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
