ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that international financial institutions (IFIs) have been and continue to be a main impetus for and facilitator of environmental crimes. One of the main areas where IFIs play an active role in the degradation of the environment is the mining sector. The chapter focuses on the environmental crimes associated with open-pit mining that are promoted, supported, and funded in some capacity by IFIs. Exploring the circumstances leading to the sinking of the ferry Le Joola, the authors demonstrated that the state of Senegal itself had core liability for this maritime tragedy, with its dramatic loss of lives. Over the past decade, IFIs have "actively promoted and financed the liberalization of the hydrocarbon and mining sectors of national economies across the globe", stating that the "public-private collaborations among governments, IFIs and multinational corporations (MNCs) will enhance social well-being by eradicating poverty, promoting sustainable forms of economic development, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of indigenous peoples".
