14 November 2014: The 83rd session of the INTERPOL General Assembly has adopted resolution AG-2014-RES-03, titled ‘INTERPOL response to emerging threats in Environmental Security,’ which urges member countries of INTERPOL to raise awareness of environmental crimes and violations, their causes and their impact among law enforcement authorities.

Furthermore, the resolution calls on member countries to establish an INTERPOL National Environmental Security Task Force (NEST) in response to current and emerging threats; to engage in the activities of the INTERPOL Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee, and to ensure that relevant police information gathered in the framework of investigations and operations is included in INTERPOL global police databases. The resolution also urges member countries to use INTERPOL’s operational tools and services in their efforts to target environmental crime.

The INTERPOL General Assembly is composed of delegates appointed by the governments of member countries. As INTERPOL’s supreme governing body, it meets once a year and takes all the major decisions affecting general policy, the resources needed for international cooperation, working methods, finances and programmes of activities. The third INTERPOL General Assembly was held 3-7 November 2014 in Monaco. [INTERPOL General Assembly webpage] [CITES News] [INTERPOL Resolution AG-2014-RES-03]