The European Network of Prosecutors for the Environment (ENPE) held its annual conference in Cork on 10-11 October 2024. 

ENPE’s purpose is to promote the enforcement of environmental criminal law by supporting the operational work of environmental prosecutors.  The Centre for Law & the Environment at the School of Law / Environmental Research Institute was honoured and delighted to host this prestigious event at UCC.

The overarching conference theme was Environmental Crime: Co-operation to ensure effective prosecution.  The conference provided a forum to present, share and discuss different approaches to fighting environmental crime with judiciary, government, academic and international network contributors from across Europe and the United States.  Twenty-four countries were represented at this year’s conference.  

The main plenary sessions took place in the historical surrounds of UCC’s Aula Maxima on 10 October 2024, with the campus looking its best in the autumn sunshine.

Following the formal opening of proceedings by ENPE President, Anne Brosnan, Professor John O’Halloran, President, UCC delivered the welcome address.

The opening keynote was delivered by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Catherine Pierse (UCC Law Alumna, BCL 1994). 

Prior to the conference, the DPP met with Professor John O’Halloran in the President’s Office.

Professor John O’Halloran, President, UCC and Catherine Pierse, the Director of Public Prosecutions. Photo credit Max Bell

The plenary conference sessions addressed important contemporary developments including: the new directive on Environmental Crime (Directive (EU) 2024/1203); the role of Eurojust in supporting cross-border judicial cooperation – with a special focus on environmental crime; Project BIOVAL – the new indicative tool for compensating nature damage; international environmental crime fighting initiatives; Enforcing Environmental Law in Ireland – the EPA’s Perspective; and the new Planning and Environment Division of the High Court of Ireland. 

Members of the Centre for Law & the Environment delivered invited contributions over the two days of the conference:  Professor Áine Ryall spoke on Tackling Environmental Crime: Insights from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss.  Niamh Guiry, an EPA-Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholar at the School of Law UCC, delivered an excellent presentation on Wildlife Crime in Ireland: Enforcement Challenges and Opportunities.  Professor Mark Poustie and Professor Owen McIntyre led a break-out session on the theme Supporting Effective Enforcement, with UCC School of Law PhD candidate Julián Suárez Bohórquez acting as the session rapporteur. 

The closing address was delivered by Professor Yvonne Scannell, Trinity College Dublin.

Conference participants also had the opportunity to learn more about UCC’s strong commitment to sustainability during a bespoke campus tour led by JP Quinn, Head of Visitor Services, UCC.

Environmental crime continues to cause serious damage to the environment and human health, as well as to the economy and society more broadly. This year’s ENPE conference provided a timely opportunity to explore the most effective approaches to ensure compliance with the law.

Special thanks are due to Dr Shaun Robinson, Project Manager and Secretariat, ENPE and Professor Áine Ryall, UCC, who worked together to organise and deliver a very successful conference.