Explanation
Green criminology investigates crimes against the environment, including pollution, illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and corporate practices that harm ecosystems. It challenges traditional definitions of crime by expanding the scope to include actions that may not be illegal but are socially or ecologically damaging. Rooted in critical criminology, it emphasizes environmental justice, the rights of non-human animals, and the disproportionate impact of environmental harm on marginalized communities.
Theoretical Reference
Emerging from critical and left realist traditions, green criminology builds on the idea that law often protects the powerful, ignoring widespread ecological destruction. Scholars like Rob White and Piers Beirne are key contributors.