Ecocide Crimes Deserve Same Spotlight as Serial Killers

As of October 19th, 2025, a growing number of experts are calling for environmental crimes to receive the same level of media attention and public scrutiny as violent crimes like murder. According to a criminal psychologist, while serial killers and violent offenders dominate the headlines, the world would be a very different place if ecocide and pollution were covered in a similar way.

The article explains that environmental crimes, such as releasing toxic waste, destroying protected forests, or engaging in illegal wildlife trafficking, often feel distant and abstract to the public. However, these acts can cause concrete harm, just like a personal crime committed against an individual. The perpetrators behind these "green crimes" are often part of organized crime syndicates, resembling the dangerous world of drug traffickers more than corporate executives.

The psychologist identifies six key psychological drivers that motivate these environmental criminals: ease, impunity, greed, rationalization, conformity, and desperation. While social structures and systemic issues play a role, the article argues that individual choices and personal motives should not be overlooked when addressing environmental destruction.

The author suggests that if environmental crimes were treated with the same level of focus and fascination as murders, it could have several benefits. It would act as a deterrent, counteract eco-anxiety, and help establish new social norms that treat ecological harm as seriously as personal crimes.