how illegal trade in wildlife and timber is helping militia and terrorist groups. As per the report, global environmental crime is worth around $213 billion a year.
The amount is used to finance criminal and terrorist groups that affect security and developmental activities across the globe. To cite few examples, Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabab rebels are estimated to get between $38 and $56 million per year from illegal trade in charcoal.
Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) earns its primary income from ivory of elephants. Rebel groups present in Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo are also among the groups that carry out illegal tradeof ivory from poached elephants.
Achim Steiner, Head of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), was of the view that the report has unveiled the level at which illegal trade in wildlife is taking place. The threat to the world is significant and needs to be handled at its earliest.
"Beyond immediate environmental impacts, the illegal trade in natural resources is depriving developingeconomies of billions of dollars in lost revenues just to fill the pockets of criminals", said Steiner.
The report was released at the week-long global environment conference at UNEP's Nairobi headquarters.
Illegal logging of high value wood species including mahogany, wood for pulp and paper among other things represent a value of $100 billion a year. Steiner said it is quite sad thing to know that such illegal activities are threatening communities and international economics.
John Scanlon, Secretary General of Cites (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), said that in recent years, poachers have killed thousands of elephants across Africa. If the trend continued that it will lead to extinction of elephants.