Beyond Criminalisation: Green Criminology, Environmental Harm, and Sustainable Development Goal 15

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 seeks to protect terrestrial ecosystems, promote sustainable land use, and halt biodiversity loss; this commentary argues that green criminology provides one of the most valuable frameworks for achieving SDG 15 in the way it shifts the focus from legalistic definitions of crime to broader ecological ‘harms’ and a harm-based perspective. Criticisms of green criminology abound and highlight the need for nuanced and contextual application, which this commentary will suggest by addressing the environmental and humanitarian consequences of rare earth mining in Myanmar and how legal penalisation could be potentially ineffective in addressing ecological degradation under military-led governance. By integrating green criminology with regionally tailored policy and intervention, this essay suggests a pathway toward more effective environmental governance and sustainable development.