Biopiracy as an International Environmental Crime

Recent developments in the field of Green Criminology - an emergent area of law - show that certain uses of genetic resources can be considered criminogenic. This determination makes it possible to connect acts that are likely to adversely affect biodiversity or traditional knowledge of genetic resources to the idea of environmental crime. Biopiracy is considered by some to be such an act but, to date, it has not been considered an environmental crime as defined by international law. This article examines whether biopiracy should be considered a crime under international environmental criminal law, leading to more effective legal protection of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge.