Environmental crime, the third largest illegal activity worldwide, includes pollution, wildlife trafficking, and illegal fishing, all of which pose threats to the environment and human health. It grows at 5%-7% annually, causing estimated annual losses of $110-281 billion. The Western Balkans experience all major types of environmental crime, from illegal logging and pollution to smuggling animals and endangered species, as well as illegal poaching. Limited institutional capacity, low public awareness, and scarce investigative resources facilitate these illegal activities, leaving few traces, hindering investigations, and resulting in very low prosecution rates.

Criminal networks exploit this enforcement weakness, transforming environmental crime into a profitable, low-risk industry. As noted in the report, the region faces widespread air pollution, hazardous waste mismanagement, illegal logging in mountainous areas, wildlife trafficking, severe river pollution, and persistent illegal fishing, based on interviews with activists, experts, police, prosecutors, and affected communities across all six Western Balkan jurisdictions.

The report emphasizes that environmental governance remains fragmented and enforcement is weak, with a significant gap between legislation and implementation driven by poor inter-agency coordination, weak monitoring, corruption, and a lack of specialized investigative units. Tackling environmental crime is a major societal challenge, especially for Western Balkan institutions. At the same time, civil society, journalists, and grassroots activists continue to play a crucial role in exposing environmental violations, raising awareness, and advocating for change—often at personal risk and without strong institutional backing. Their efforts show that combating environmental crime is not only a technical issue but also a societal one, requiring a stronger rule of law, more transparent institutions, and empowered communities.