What can Dutch police learn from Europe about tackling environmental crime?

Police forces across Europe are increasingly expected to play a role in tackling environmental crime. Dr Anna Matczak, researcher at the Multilevel Regulation research group of the Centre of Expertise Global and Inclusive Learning, examined how France, Spain and Sweden approach this, and what the Netherlands can learn from them. Her report has now been published in the Politie & Wetenschap series.

The climate crisis and growing pressure on nature are leading to more and more environmental regulation. As a result, the role of the police in enforcing it is growing too. But how does a police organisation build the knowledge and capacity it needs to tackle environmental crime effectively?

Research in three countries

In early 2025, Matczak carried out fieldwork in France, Spain and Sweden, working with partners including CESDIP, the Guardia Civil's environmental unit SEPRONA and the Institute for Future Studies. In total, 70 professionals and academics were interviewed. Dr Sylvia I. Bergh (researcher at the same research group and co-applicant on the project) played a key role in shaping the research proposal and design, and contributed to data collection, including conducting interviews in French.

Read more about the project's design and partners on the project page “Tackling environmental crime: lessons from Europe”.

Ambitious, but constrained

Enforcement models differ from country to country, yet police and their partners everywhere face similar structural challenges. The Netherlands has a sophisticated system that brings together administrative and criminal enforcement. Even so, challenges remain: building specialist expertise, reducing duplication and improving cooperation between agencies.

Four recommendations

The report makes four recommendations to the Dutch police:

1. Expand the knowledge base on environmental crime.
2. Measure the impact and performance of environmental enforcement.
3. Approach environmental crime investigations as a learning process that requires time and space.
4. Strengthen international cooperation and training, within the EU and beyond.

The key message: expertise cannot be built overnight, nor through yet another reorganisation. Effective enforcement requires time and sustained investment.

Download the report

The full report, Strengthening police capacity in European models of environmental crime enforcement: Strategic lessons for the Dutch police, is available in Dutch and English and can be downloaded free of charge.

Download the report in English.