Corruption & Its Impact on Environment

When it comes to avoiding environmental protection rules, many businesses become either creative or corrupt. Especially forestry and the water sector are concerned by corruption, both very important for a balanced environment. The thing is that it does not only happen on small scale but also on top managing levels.
Environmental safeguards are easily avoided with corruption and while it is very hazardous on an environmental scale, it has a terrible impact on societies, too, because resources and habitats disappear due to corruption and therefore, ecosystems are ruined.  

Let us have a look at the impact of corruption on forestry and the water sector.

Forestry

In South-East Asia, corruption with timber happens on big scale and the region faces deforestation at an incredible speed through black market dealing although, or probably because, its’ forests inherit unique tree species. Big illegal networks exist which are the main cause for irreversible harm to environment, extinction of species, biodiversity and furthermore, locals are not able to profit from the resources and are denied their livelihood.
To transport tinder over borders they use false papers: For example a special wood is declared as an ordinary sort or the origin is changed. Another possibility to move illegal wood is to get buy papers from corrupt officials. All along the production chain, they rely heavily on officials who cooperate with them including forest rangers, local government officials and policemen.
Indonesia is a country especially hit by these corrupt networks and has a huge tax loss due to illegal timber trafficking. Illegal wood on the global market is a lot cheaper and forces legal producers to drop prices.

Water Sector

Water is a basic need for all life on this planet. We humans need it for drinking, energy supply and sanitation. Unfortunately, it is also concerned by corruption because the water sector is very vulnerable: Many negotiation parties from private and public sectors and a lack of transparency in agreements and contracts.

Corruption increases the costs of building water infrastructure by as much as 40 per cent – this equates to an additional
$12 billion a year needed to provide worldwide safe drinking water and sanitation.

Furthermore, when projects are being planned and the environmental impact is being assessed, examiners are being payed to hide the negative impacts. Another example about corruption is that big agriculture companies can take water resources when needed from small farmers who rely on water from rivers because they are more powerful. Moreover, big scale projects like dams are lucrative and therefore attract unscrupulous investors. That increases corruption in acquisition processes.  

Finally, we learned that corruption does not only have negative effects on environment but also on the most vulnerable. The rich and powerful exchange resources, benefits and money among themselves and leave the less privileged behind.
 
By Sina Gösele