From Cape Town to Rio: International Cooperation to Address Crimes That Affect the Environment

Welcoming G20 leadership and the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration

The Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment, adopted by the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group on 16–17 October 2025, marked a significant step toward coordinated international action. 

The Declaration recognises: 

• the serious threat posed by illicit trafficking in wildlife, timber, hazardous waste, and minerals;
• the links between environmental crime and illicit financial flows; and
• the urgent need for countries to strengthen national responses while respecting national legislation.

The G20 South Africa Summit in Johannesburg on 22–23 November 2025 placed CAE on the G20 Leaders’ agenda for the first time. The G20 Leaders’ Declaration recognises the urgent need for countries to strengthen national responses addressing CAE and welcomes the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on CAE.

IUCN welcomes this Declaration and the G20’s historic leadership, which reflects strong political commitment from countries representing over 85% of the global economy.

Supporting the Rio Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment

The momentum from Cape Tawn continued at the United for Wildlife Global Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 4 November 2025, where IUCN joined governments and partners in endorsing the Rio Declaration on Crimes that Affect the Environment. The Rio Declaration builds directly on the Cape Town Ministerial Declaration on CAE and reinforces the growing global determination to address all forms of environmental crime, from illegal wildlife trade and deforestation to associated financial and organised criminal activities.

Eighteen governments — Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Republic of Congo, South Africa, Suriname and the United Kingdom — endorsed the declaration, with support from international organisations and civil societies.

By supporting this Declaration, IUCN reaffirms its commitment to advancing environmental governance and helping countries address the drivers and impacts of environmental crime.

IUCN’s mandate and policy direction on Crimes that Affect the Environment                                          

At the World Conservation Congress in October 2025, IUCN Members adopted several Resolutions on illegal activities related to crimes that affect the environment, including: 

• Recognising the crime of ecocide to protect nature (Motion 061), 

• Port State measures regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (Motion 033), 

• Addressing wildlife trafficking and the management of seized or confiscated live wild animals (Motion 058) and 

• Urgent action to prevent illegal succulent plant trade (Motion 083). 

A new milestone was the adoption of IUCN Resolution on Crimes that Affect the Environment (Motion 048/052), which recognises environmental crime as a major threat to biodiversity, climate goals, and human rights, and provides a transformative mandate for the Union: 

• to engage strategically and proactively with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), and other multilateral fora, ensuring that CAE are recognised as a core issue of global security, justice, and sustainable development. 

• to enhance cooperation with INTERPOL, UNODC, Multilateral Environmental Agreement Secretariats and other partners, and 

• to address the socio-economic and ecological drivers of CAE through prevention, education, and behaviour-change strategies. 

In line with this mandate and the IUCN Programme 2026–2029, IUCN commits to elevating responses to environment crime as a global priority for the planet, nature and people. IUCN stands ready to support governments, communities and other stakeholders to translate these global commitments into tangible outcomes.