Open letter to UNCAC States Parties
Calling for a Strong Resolution at CoSP10
to Prevent and Combat Environmental Crime and Corruption
3 November 2023
Dear United States Delegation, President of the 10th UNCAC CoSP,
Dear Delegates to the States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption,
We, 301 civil society organizations and experts from 99 countries around the globe, urge
States Parties to adopt a resolution at the 10th UNCAC CoSP10 to prevent and combat
corruption and the environmental crimes it facilitates as a crucial way to protect the
environment, tackle the climate crisis and uphold human rights.
Corruption has a seismic impact on the environment and the climate. It enables crimes
across complex supply chains that exploit wildlife, forests, fisheries and other natural
resources and species. It is often linked to serious criminal networks that rely on corruption
at every step of their global supply chain. It creates incentives to degrade nature, leading to
the conversion and degradation of land and the building of infrastructure in biodiversity rich
zones. Corruption is undermining efforts to address climate change at a time when the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that human-induced climate change
has “resulted in more frequent and more intense extreme weather events that have caused
increasingly dangerous impacts on nature and people in every region of the world.”
Environmental crime and corruption negatively impacts human rights and impedes efforts to
meet the Sustainable Development Goals. It robs some of the world’s poorest countries of
revenues and resources and promotes a culture of violence towards communities,
threatening the rule of law, public health and security. Land, environmental and indigenous
defenders, whistleblowers, journalists, and other members of civil society face significant
threats, attacks and killings in carrying out their work to expose environmental crime and
corruption, often in a culture of impunity.
As the only legally binding anti-corruption instrument, the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) is among the best tools available to prevent and fight the corruption that enables environmental crime and other environmental harms and its significant negative impacts on both people and nature. Building on UNCAC CoSP Resolution 8/12 (adopted in 2019), we call on UNCAC State Parties to adopt a strong resolution to bolster the implementation of the UNCAC to tackle environmental crime and corruption and its impacts. Such a resolution should call for the following actions:
Strengthen and more effectively implement anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and environmental protection laws across the value chain in the environmental sector and hold those accountable that are responsible for perpetuating environmental crimes and corruption, including companies and their representatives.
Strengthen transparency, integrity and accountability for awarding, granting, and managing contracts, concessions, permits and licenses in the natural resource sector. Create public, central beneficial ownership registers which include adequate, accurate and up-to-date data that is freely accessible and can be used by relevant stakeholders, as well as accountability frameworks, including conflicts of interest policies, political financing rules, and lobbying transparency.
Ensure a safe and enabling environment for civil society organizations and other actors working to expose environmental crime and corruption consistent with Article 13 of the UNCAC, including protection for whistleblowers, proactively engaging Indigenous Peoples and local communities and putting measures in place to routinely monitor threats facing civil society.
Promote good governance and anti-corruption measures to achieve climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation goals and in the proper management and use of climate finance funds and other finance mechanisms to protect the environment and biological diversity.
Promote greater coordination and cooperation with other relevant international fora and implementing agencies, in order to maximize impact in tackling environmental crime and corruption and to enhance understanding of how to address it, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Human Rights Council, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the Financial Action Task Force.
As we commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the UNCAC’s creation, we urge you to take
strong actions at CoSP10 to ensure that the UNCAC is utlilized to its full extent to tackle one
of the most pressing global challenges facing our planet and its people.
Global and Regional Non-Governmental Organizations
1. Access Info Europe, Spain, EU
2. Accountability Lab, USA
3. ACT International, Canada
4. ADM Capital Foundation, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of
China
5. Advocacy Initiative for Development (AID), USA
6. Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Austria
7. Amazon Conservation Association, USA
8. Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe
9. ARTICLE 19, UK
10. Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, India
11. Born Free Foundation, UK
12. Brighter Green, USA
13. CEE Bankwatch Network, Czech Republic
14. Center for Climate Crime Analysis (CCCA), The Netherlands
15. Center for Environmental Ethics and Law, USA
16. Center for Environmental Forensic Science, USA
17. Centre for Human Rights and Climate Change Research, Nigeria
18. Center for International Environmental Law, USA/ Switzerland
19. Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), USA
20. Center for Muslim youth in peace and development, Ghana
21. Clarence Climate Action, Australia
22. Climate Whistleblowers, France
23. Community And Family Aid Foundation, Ghana
24. Compassion in World Farming, UK
25. Congo Basin Forests Global Initiative, DRC
26. Conservation Allies, USA
27. Earth League International, USA
28. EARTHDAY.ORG, USA
29. Earthworks, USA
30. Environmental Investigation Agency, UK
31. Earth Ethics, Inc., USA
32. Environment East Gippsland inc, Australia
33. Ethics Specialist Group, IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, USA
34. European Emergency Circle, Italy
35. European Institute of Compliance and Ethics, Slovenia
36. European Youth Information and Counselling Agency, Luxemburg
37. Freedom for Eurasia, Austria
38. Gallifrey Foundation, Switzerland
39. GI-TOC, Switzerland
40. Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies - Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law, USA
41. Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
42. Government Accountability Project, USA
43. Green Transparency, The Netherlands
44. Human Rights Watch, USA
45. IFM-SEI, Belgium
46. Institute for Environmental Security, The Netherlands
47. Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Loreto Generalate, USA
48. InterEnvironment Institute, USA
49. International Center for MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma (ICMGLT), USA
50. International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
51. International Lawyers Project, UK
52. IPYS, Peru
53. LEGS-Africa, Senegal
54. Mission Blue, USA
55. National Whistleblower Center, USA
56. Natural Resources Defense Council, USA
57. Natural Resource Governance Institute, USA
58. Nillumbik Climate Action Team, Australia
59. Observatorio Ciudadano de la Corrupción (OCC), Latin America and Carribean
60. OneNature, USA
61. Open Contracting Partnership, USA
62. Open Ownership, UK
63. Organising Bureau of European School Students Unions - OBESSU, Belgium
64. Organización Regional de los Pueblos Indigenas del Oriente, Peru
65. Österreichische Frauenföderation (Chapter of) Women's Federation for World Peace,
Austria/USA
66. Paso Pacifico, USA and Central America
67. Passionists International, USA
68. PAY-W Clinic, India
69. PCQVP, Mali
70. Peoples Climate Assembly, Australia
71. Persatuan Pakatan Berintegriti Sanah (Sabah Integrity Alliance Association – SINAR), Malaysia
72. Peru Support Group, UK
73. Publish What You Pay, UK
74. Rainforest Action Network, USA
75. Rasmussen Family Foundation, USA
76. Re:wild, USA
77. SJ Around the Bay, Australia
78. S.P.E.C.I.E.S., USA
79. Society for the Widows and Orphans, Nigeria
80. Soroptimist International, UK
81. Stichting Arnhems Peil, The Netherlands
82. Tactical Intelligence Security, Ghana
83. The Sentry, USA
84. Transparency International, Germany
85. Tripla Difesa Onlus Guardie Sicurezza Sociale ed Eco Zoofila, Italy
86. UNADAP, USA
87. UNCAC Coalition, Austria
88. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, USA
89. Universal Peace and Violence Amelioration Centre, Nigeria
90. Vote Earth Now, Australia
91. Wataniba, Grupo de Trabajo Socioambiental de la Amazonía, Venezuela and Colombia
92. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, UK
93. Wildlife Conservation Society, USA
94. Wildlife Justice Commission, The Netherlands
95. World Resources Institute, USA
96. WWF International, Switzerland
National Non-Governmental Organizations
97. 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative, Nigeria
98. AbibiNsroma Foundation, Ghana
99. Acción Ciudadana, El Salvador
100. Actions des Journalistes sur les Mines au Burkina Faso (AJM-BF), Burkina Faso
101. Actions pour les Droits Humains au Niger, Niger
102. ADS (Asociación de Desarrollo Sostenible LGTBI COSTA RICA), Costa Rica
103. Adventure Scientists, USA
104. Africa Centre for Open Governance, Kenya
105. African Alliance for Health,Research and Economic Development, Kenya
106. Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Nigeria
107. Aide, Assistance et Développement Communautaire de Côte d'Ivoire (ADC-CI), Côte d'Ivoire
108. Al-Nahrain Foundation for Supporting Transparency & Integrity, Iraq
109. AMOCA, Mozambique
110. ANC, Asociacion Nacional de Centros, Peru
111. Angling Trust, UK
112. Asociación Centroamericana para el Desarrollo y la Democracia Red Local, Nicaragua
113. Asociación civil JAPIQAY, Memoria y Ciudadanía, Peru
114. Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa - ASJ, Transparency International Honduras,
Honduras
115. Association femmes et Actions pour le Développement, Guinea
116. Association Guinéenne pour la Transparence AGT, Guinea
117. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, USA
118. AWTAD Organization for Combating Corruption, Yemen
119. Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication, Bangladesh
120. Bank Information Center, USA
121. Bantay Kita - Publish What You Pay Philippines, Philippines
122. Bostwana Watch Organization, Botswana
123. British Divers Marine Life Rescue, UK
124. CAJUST - Citoyens Actifs pour la Justice Sociale, Senegal
125. CDDI, Albania
126. Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW), Nigeria
127. Center For Rural Economic & Social Development CREESOD, Nigeria
128. Center for Whistleblowers Protection, Slovenia
129. Centro Santo Dias de Direitos Humanos, Brazil
130. Children and Young People Living for Peace, Nigeria
131. Chile Transparente, Chile
132. Christian Agenda for Development (CAD), South Sudan
133. Christian Education and Development Organization (CEDO), Tanzania
134. Civic Alliance, Montenegro
135. Club Ohada Thies, Senegal
136. Coalition for Integrity and Accountability-AMAN, Palestine
137. Colegio Nacional de Investigación Criminal y Seguridad, Panama
138. Comisión de Accion Social Menonita (CASM), Honduras
139.Community Restoration Initiative Project, Uganda
140. Confederação dos Sindicatos de Pescadores Artesanais (CONFESPA), Brazil
141. Conservation Imaging, Inc., USA
142. Core Group Transparency/PWYP Timor-Leste (CGT/PWYP-TL), Timor-Leste
143. Corporación La Caleta, Chile
144. Costa Rica Íntegra, Costa Rica
145. Council on Geopolitics Foundation, Hungary
146. Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Malta
147. De Klimaatcoalitie, The Netherlands
148. Dialogue and Research Institute (DRI), South Sudan
149. Earth Action, Inc., USA
150. Ecologistas en Acción, Spain
151. EDSP ECO, The Netherlands
152. Elders Climate Action, USA
153. Environmental Investigation Agency US, USA
154. Expert Forum, Romania
155. FACT Coalition, USA
156. Federation Against Biomass Power Plants, The Netherlands
157. Foreign Policy for America, USA
158. Freedom of Information Center of Armenia, Armenia
159. Friends of the Earth Australia, Australia
160. Friends of the Earth Malta, Malta
161. Friends of the Earth US, USA
162. Front des Organisation Nationales contre la Corruption (FONAC), Benin
163. Frontida Zois Initiative (FZI), Nigeria
164. Fundação Montescola, Spain
165. Fundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo, Ecuador
166. Fundación EcoCiencia, Ecuador
167. Fundacion Mujeres en Igualdad, Argentina
168. Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Libertad Ciudadana - Capitulo Panameño de
Transparencia Internacional - OCC, Panama
169. Fundacion ProAves de Colombia, Colombia
170. Global Media Foundation, Ghana
171. Goa Foundation, India
172. Green Network Organization, Myanmar
173. Grupo Rescate Escolar, Ecuador
174. HEDA Resource Centre, Nigeria
175. HPLGBT, Ukraine
176. Human Development Center “Tree of Life", Kyrgyzstan
177. ICD, Uruguay
178. Iepé - Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena, Brazil
179. Igarapé Institute, Brazil
180. Improve Your Society Organization (IYSO), Yemen
181. Indonesia Corruption Watch, Indonesia
182. Institute for Public Policy Research, Namibia
183. Institute of Fisheries Management, UK
184. International Society for Peace and Safety, Nigeria
185. Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya
186. Joshua Easy Fashion Designer Co Ltd, Nigeria
187. Journalists for Human Rights, North Macedonia
188. Karamoja Women Cultural Group, Uganda
189. Kosova Democratic Institute, Kosovo
190. Kosovo Law Institute, Kosovo
191. League Against Cruel Sports, UK
192. Legal Analysis and Research Public Union, Azerbaijan
193. Libyan Transparency Association, Libya
194. LiCAT ( Ligue Comorienne de l'Anti-corruption et de la Transparence), Union of the Comoros
195. Ligue Camerounaise des droits humains, Cameroon
196. Maison des Organisations de la Société Civile (MOSC) Anjouan - Comores, Union of the
Comoros
197. Migrant Workers Association of Lesotho, Lesotho
198. Mineral Inheritors Rights Association, India
199. Mujeres Oxapampinas formando líderes del mañana - Moflim, Peru
200. Muslim Family Counselling Services, Ghana
201. Natural Resources Justice Network, Malawi
202. New Apostolic Centre for Development, Nigeria
203. NGOs computer literacy shelter welfare Rawalpindi cantt Pakistan, Pakistan
204. Nouveaux Droits de l'Homme Congo Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
205. Observatoire d'Etudes et d'Appui à la Responsabilité Sociale et Environnementale, OEARSE, DRC
206. Observatorio Social de Mato Grosso, Brazil
207. OLUCOME, Burundi
208. ONG ACOM, Togo
209. ONG MPLCI (Mouvement Pour la Lutte Contre l'Injustice), Cote d”Ivoire
210. Organisation Tchadienne Anti-Corruption (OTAC), Tchad
211. Pakaid, Pakistan
212. Participacion Ciudadana - OCC, Dominican Republic
213. Peace and Hope for Youth Development (PHY), Tanzania
214. Prison Foundation, Nepal
215. Proética, Transparencia Internacional Peru, Peru
216. Progress Integrated Community Development organisation (PICDO), Ethiopia
217. Public Association Echo, Kazakhstan
218. Public-Private Integrity, Gambia
219. Publiez Ce Que Vous Payez-Mali, Mali
220. Publish What You Pay Australia, Australia
221. Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia, Indonesia
222. Reforestamos México, Mexico
223. Réseau des Organisations pour la Transparence et l'analyse budgétaire ROTAB, Niger
224. Rural-Urban Social Empowerment Program (RUSEP), Kenya
225. Sange Research Center, Kazakhstan
226. Semillas para la Democracia, Paraguay
227. Sensitisation Against Hazard And Crime Initiative, Nigeria
228. Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA), Peru
229. Studies and Economic Media Center, Yemen
230. Terra-1530, Moldova
231. The Center to Combat Corruption & Cronyism, Malaysia
232. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Malta
233. The Integrated Social Development Centre, Ghana
234. The Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative-LOGI, Lebanon
235. The Partnership for Governance Reform (KEMITRAAN), Indonesia
236. Thinking Animals, Inc, USA
237. TI-Taiwan, Taiwan
238. Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis (La'o Hamutuk), Timor-Leste
239. TraCCC, USA
240. Transparência Internacional - Brasil, Brazil
241. Transparencia por Colombia, Colombia
242. Transparency International - Initiative Madagascar, Madagascar
243. Transparency International Australia, Australia
244. Transparency International Cambodia, Cambodia
245. Transparency International France, France
246. Transparency International Georgia, Georgia
247. Transparency International Germany, Germany
248. Transparency International Indonesia, Indonesia
249. Transparency International Ireland, Ireland
250. Transparency International Macedonia, North Macedonia
251. Transparency International Nepal, Nepal
252. Transparency International Pakistan, Pakistan
253. Transparency International Portugal, Portugal,
254. Transparency International Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
255. Transparency International Uganda, Uganda
256. Transparency International U.S., USA
257. Transparency International Zambia, Zambia
258. Transparency Maldives, Maldives
259. Transparent Governance, Azerbaijan
260. Tribal Rights Watch, Pakistan
261. Tripla Difesa Onlus Itlia, Italy
262. Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Australia
263. Veille Citoyenne Togo, Togo
264. Wildlife & Countryside Link, UK
265. Women and Modern World Social Charitable Center, Azerbaijan
266. WWF US, USA
267. Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights, Yemen
Individuals
268. Adhana, Mange Ram – India, President of the Association For Promotion Sustainable
Development, India
269. Almonte, Rosa – Dominican Republic, Climate Governance and Integrity Programme
Transparency International
270. Almosawi, Sharaf – Bahrain, Adviser
271. Amoateng, Kenneth – Ghana, Executive Director of the AbibiNsroma Foundation
272. Bala, Dorina, – Italy, CEO
273. Bolton-Akpan – Nigeria, Tijah, Executive Director
274. Calle, Isabel – Peru, Executive Director
275. Chinhamo, Obert – Zimbabwe, Director Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa
276. Contreras Espinoza, Federico Buanerghes – Peru, Legal Specialist
277. Davies, Angela – Australia
278. Giuberti, Edda – Italy, Head Tripla Difesa Onlus Guardie Sicurezza Sociale ed Eco Zoofila
279. Hussain Shah, Syed Ejaz Pakistan, Executive Director
280. Idrees Chaudhary, Nazish – Pakistan, Assistant Professor University of Lahore
281. Ipenza, César A. – Peru, Investigador materia ambiental
282. Jarvis, Michael – USA, Executive Director Transparency & Accountability Initiative
283. Kane, Elimane H. – Senegal, Anti-corruption expert EHK&CompAss
284. Kwashie, Joseph Senyo, – Ghana, Executive Director/ Community And Family Aid
Foundation
285. Mirvari, Gahramanli – Azerbaijan, Chairperson Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization
Public Union,
286. O Dwyer, Sara – Spain, Volunteer
287. Ottinger, Richard – USA, Dean Emeritus Elisabeth Haub School of Law, IUCN Member of WC
Pace University
288. Pabon, Luis – USA, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Adventure
289. Perez, Carola – Spain, President of patient association dosemociones
290. Pineda, Wendy – Peru, Rainforest Foundation USA
291. Pius, Kougblenou – Togo, Executive Director ONG ACOMB
292. Sairinen, Varpu – Finland, Campaign Coordinator
293. Singh, Dr Rajan – India, Chairman Al Rizvia Madagascar Trust
294. Solans Rodriguez, Gigi – Belgium, Project Coordinator IFM-SEI
295. Stefanov Kristina – Bulgaria, Program Director
296. Teuwen, Sieglinde – Austria, Representative and Chief Administrative Officer of Verein zur Förderung der Völkerverständigung
297. Ticha, Nkweti Roland – Cameroon, Founder/National President Cameroon Anti-Corruption Youths Movement (CSO)
298. Toure, Kadialma Oumar – Côte d’Ivoire, Member of the diplomatic service and Ambassador to the World Academy of Human Sciences/ Extraordinary member at Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
299. Verano, Marilou – Philippines, Founding Board of Director/ Ang Aroroy Ay Alagaan Inc.
300. Wyper, Bonnie – USA, The Explorers Club
301. Young Lauren – UK, Research Fellow Royal United Services Institute