ABSTRACT
Transnational crime is complex by its very nature and environmental issues, in particular, demonstrate the intimate relationship between the global and the local. Criminology has been influenced by developments in law, public campaigning and social protest to embrace and take seriously 'rights' based issues, relating to human rights generally and rights of victims, women, minorities, animals more specifically. Global biotechnology industries have increasingly sought to identify and exploit natural products with medicinal and healing properties found in developing nations. The biodiversity of different environments has yielded products with numerous uses for local and wider populations for centuries. The chapter aims to take some further steps in the elaboration of a green perspective within criminology and illustrate potential contributions to the study of rights, justice, nature and globalised society. It considers the cases of activities described by supporters as bio-prospecting and by critics as bio-piracy. The chapter critically examines bio-patenting and biotechnology/bio-agriculture development as forms of bio-piracy and post-colonial exploitation.
