This blog was originally published on the FCPA Blog, which was discontinued in February 2024.

The release on October 4 of the 11th Basel AML Index drew attention not only to its ranking of money laundering risks in 128 countries but for its stark message: in a fast-changing world, progress in addressing money laundering and terrorist financing risks is not moving fast enough.

At the second public Follow-the-Money Working Group meeting for 2024, Ian Gary and Julia Yansura of the FACT Coalition will talk about the United States' role in tackling illicit financial flows related to environmental crimes in the Amazon.

The meeting will be held on Zoom in English with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and French. It is open to current members of the Countering Environmental Corruption Practitioners Forum and its Follow-the-Money Working Group, as well as those potentially interested in joining.

Have we reached a turning point in the fight against corruption that impacts the environment?

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Conference of the States Parties to the UNCAC (CoSP10) hosted a series of special events on corruption that impacts the environment. The 25 co-organisers included states, international organisations and non-profit organisations, including the Basel Institute on Governance through our Green Corruption programme.

Corruption prevention measures are often talked about at the national level: “Governments need to do this and that to prevent corruption.”

But Peru’s Regional Government of San Martín provides a good example of what can be achieved at the subnational levels to increase public integrity and transparency.

The ingredients: strong political commitment, a clear understanding of regional corruption vulnerabilities and dedicated technical support.

Join us for an engaging session at the Open Data working group meeting where two dynamic speakers will delve into the world of data visualisation and spatial intelligence. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about exciting initiatives and participate in discussions on effective data visualisation.

At the first Follow-the-Money Working Group meeting for 2024, Mark Williams of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) will present a new report on the "closed case method" – multi-agency financial investigations of closed illegal wildlife trade cases. 

This method focuses on the unexplored financial elements of historical cases. It involves "following-the-money" to identify typologies and risk indicators of IWT-related financial crime as well as potential new leads. 

At the 8th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), in December 2019, States parties adopted a resolution recognising the relationship between corruption and environmental crimes. 

Four years ago, States parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) committed to a landmark resolution on Preventing and combating corruption as it relates to crimes that have an impact on the environment. Adopted at the 8th Conference of the States Parties to the UNCAC (CoSP 8), Resolution 8/12 urges States parties to prevent, investigate and prosecute corruption offences where they may be linked to crimes that have an impact on the environment.

The waste management sector provides a vital service for the good functioning of communities and economies and is essential for the protection of the environment and public health. This sector has been under increased scrutiny in recent years. Waste crime has become a growing concern around the world because of its dire impact on the environment and human health.

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At the 4th plenary meeting of the Countering Environmental Corruption Practitioners Forum we will discuss the experiences of practitioners on the frontlines of countering corruption. 

We also want to hear from you about your experiences in countering environmental corruption! Please fill out this short survey.