Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EMERITUS (Environmental crimes’ intelligence and investigation protocol based on multiple data sources)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-09-01 al 2024-02-29
EMERITUS aims at laying the foundations for a new generation of technological tools at the service of LEAs/BGs while actively empowering them to use such tools at national and cross-border level, while facilitate collaborative operations and networking in this domain. In details, the aim of the EMERITUS project is to contribute to improve the effectiveness of environmental crime investigation by creating an innovative protocol for investigation leveraging on the integration of advanced monitoring and analysis technologies, and by realizing a complementary training programme to empower law enforcement authorities’ to benefit from such technologies during investigations at national level and cross-border level.
The EMERITUS consortium will focus on the co-creation of an investigation protocol centered on environmental crimes investigation and on the creation of the geo-intelligence platform combining advanced technologies such as satellite image analysis, sensors/IoT, drones and AI. This platform will offer monitoring and investigation supporting services aggregated in a single interface to help Police Authorities and decision-makers in their work to contrast waste-related crimes. In addition, a new training programme for Police Authorities and other security practitioners, focused on environmental (waste-related) crimes investigation and prevention, will be delivered combining both theoretical aspects and hand-on simulations to empower end-users to actually use the platform and related technologies. Such exercises will serve to validate both the platform and the protocol, via simulations based on 4 realistic use cases (heterogeneous and of growing complexity), taking advantage of the shared will of Police Authorities and Border Guards to focus on ad hoc demonstration sites, with the additional availability of partners’ simulation facilities.
CONTEXT: Environmental protection in Europe is threatened by significant damages from unregulated and criminal activities, leading to an uneven application of EU legal standards among Member States. These criminal activities, which breach environmental legislation, include illegal emissions into air, water, and soil, and illegal waste handling. These crimes pose a significant risk to the environment, climate, and human health. Despite their devastating impact on the environment, these activities are highly profitable for criminals due to the low risk of detection and penalties. The complexity of preventing these actions and providing explicit proof to courts further complicates matters. In the EU alone, annual revenues from illicit non-hazardous and hazardous waste trafficking are estimated to range between EUR 1.3-10.3 billion and EUR 1.5-1.8 billion respectively, involving about 10% of the overall waste industry.
Specific Objectives
SO1. Co-create an investigation protocol focused on environmental crimes investigation.
SO2. Create a geo-intelligence platform for integration of different monitoring and investigation technologies.
SO3. Create training programme focused on environmental crimes and validate project results via simulation exercises based on realistic use cases
SO4 Create a specialized community of practice and co-create evidence-based po
EMERITUS project will contribute to the following FCT expected impacts:
1 - Modern information analysis for Police Authorities, allowing them to efficiently fight criminals and terrorists who use novel technologies.
2 - Improved forensics and lawful evidence collection, increasing the capabilities to apprehend criminals and terrorists and bring them to the court.
3 - Improved intelligence picture and enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence of various forms of organised crime
The EMERITUS consortium will focus on the co-creation of an investigation protocol centered on environmental crimes investigation and on the creation of the geo-intelligence platform combining advanced technologies such as satellite image analysis, sensors/IoT, drones and AI. This platform will offer monitoring and investigation supporting services aggregated in a single interface to help Police Authorities and decision-makers in their work to contrast waste-related crimes. In addition, a new training programme for Police Authorities and other security practitioners, focused on environmental (waste-related) crimes investigation and prevention, will be delivered combining both theoretical aspects and hand-on simulations to empower end-users to actually use the platform and related technologies. Such exercises will serve to validate both the platform and the protocol, via simulations based on 4 realistic use cases (heterogeneous and of growing complexity), taking advantage of the shared will of Police Authorities and Border Guards to focus on ad hoc demonstration sites, with the additional availability of partners’ simulation facilities.
CONTEXT: Environmental protection in Europe is threatened by significant damages from unregulated and criminal activities, leading to an uneven application of EU legal standards among Member States. These criminal activities, which breach environmental legislation, include illegal emissions into air, water, and soil, and illegal waste handling. These crimes pose a significant risk to the environment, climate, and human health. Despite their devastating impact on the environment, these activities are highly profitable for criminals due to the low risk of detection and penalties. The complexity of preventing these actions and providing explicit proof to courts further complicates matters. In the EU alone, annual revenues from illicit non-hazardous and hazardous waste trafficking are estimated to range between EUR 1.3-10.3 billion and EUR 1.5-1.8 billion respectively, involving about 10% of the overall waste industry.
Specific Objectives
SO1. Co-create an investigation protocol focused on environmental crimes investigation.
SO2. Create a geo-intelligence platform for integration of different monitoring and investigation technologies.
SO3. Create training programme focused on environmental crimes and validate project results via simulation exercises based on realistic use cases
SO4 Create a specialized community of practice and co-create evidence-based po
EMERITUS project will contribute to the following FCT expected impacts:
1 - Modern information analysis for Police Authorities, allowing them to efficiently fight criminals and terrorists who use novel technologies.
2 - Improved forensics and lawful evidence collection, increasing the capabilities to apprehend criminals and terrorists and bring them to the court.
3 - Improved intelligence picture and enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence of various forms of organised crime
In WP1 were defined the EMERITUS requirements and it was created a database containing the literature review. In WP2 multiple interactions and meeting allowed the co-creation of the baseline investigation protocols through the synthesis of the current modus operandi and the identification of operative needs emerged in the investigation of different types of waste-related crimes: the so-defined investigation protocol is now being integrated with indications of the use of technologies in the different phases of investigation. The work done in WP3 allowed to demonstrate the EMERITUS platform capabilities to integrate functionalities developed under the scope of the different use Cases as well as integration of external tools by defining the EMERITUS platform architecture and completing the alpha version. In the frame of WP4 the training needs by country and the KPIs to validate the training needs were defined by means of national workshops on needs assessments and synthesis of evidences emerged, and a preliminary set of tests on technologies was performed. Within WP5, the Community of Practice started the activities after a period of engagement and interactions with the members which allowed to gather the first group of involved practitioners (representing >10 organization at international level). The first 1st EMERITUS showcase event was organized under the frame of this WP5, to launch and promote the activities of this community as well as to showcase synergies and interactions with other projects. WP6 launched the EMERITUS website as well as create all the project identity including logo, templates factsheet, etc. The Dissemination and Communication strategy was defined. The review of KER and identification of exploitation interests of the partners was part of the work done in this WP. In addition, several synergies with similar projects (PERIVALLON, NARCOVIEW) and relevant institutions (e.g. IMPEL, EMPACT).
EMERITUS project intends to overcome the State-of-the-Art (SOA) by combining in a single offering different technologies and solutions specifically dedicated to contrast waste-related environmental crimes. In details, by the end of the project the following results will be produced: R1 – Protocol for waste-crimes investigation (R1), an investigation supporting platform (including R2 – R)9), Simulation exercises (R10), a Community of practice (R11) and a set of evidence-base recommendations (R12). These results will provide EMERITUS with a unique selling proposition (USP) thanks to : 1) creation of a platform integrating diverse technologies to execute investigation protocols, 2) integration of a dedicated waste-crime specific investigation protocol 3) strengthening cross-border perspective/vision providing an intelligence picture beyond national/local borders, 4) creation of an integration layer scalable by design in order to allow in the long term to integrate other data sources/technologies, 5) enabling collection of lawful court-proof of crime evidence, via blockchain experimentation and use of harmonized practices, 6) community-based access, restricted access for partner LEAs/BGs, with a view on fostering international cooperation, 7) integration of a dedicated training programs including practical exercises to really empower LEAs/BGs in the use of such technologies, 8) high scalability of the solution, with possibility to progressively integrate other technological components.