This contribution responds to Resolution 12/4 of UNTOC COP 12, entitled “Enhancing measures to prevent and combat crimes that affect the environment falling within the scope of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”, which mandates the establishment of an open-ended intergovernmental expert group (IEG) to:

• Take stock of the application and collective implementation of the Organized Crime Convention in addressing such crimes;
• Identify gaps that may exist in the international legal framework and that could be addressed under the Convention to prevent and combat such crimes;  
• Consider possible responses relevant to those gaps, including the possibility, feasibility and merits of any additional protocol to UNTOC.

IUCN’s submission outlines ways to strengthen international cooperation and improve legal and policy responses to environmental crimes. From IUCN’s perspective, addressing persistent gaps in the international legal framework and within UNTOC requires a combination of strategic legal, institutional, and operational measures, including:

• Developing an additional protocol to UNTOC on crimes that affect the environment (CEA);
• Amending and strengthening the existing UNTOC framework where needed;
• Clarifying legal definitions and ensuring the criminalization of CEA across jurisdictions;
• Integrating victims of CEA into the UNTOC framework, including recognition of environmental harm and affected communities;
• Strengthening cross-sectoral and international cooperation, particularly on investigation, enforcement, and information sharing;

• Enhancing capacity-building and technical assistance to support national implementation and enforcement.