Environmental Crime Prevention Program
Encyclopedia
The Environmental Crime Prevention Program (ECPP) was an organization which tracked dumped nuclear waste, including Soviet nuclear missiles left over from the Cold War
. It was founded by Italian lawyer and self-styled security consultant Mario Scaramella
along with his partner Filippo Marino in Naples, Italy in 1997. Describing itself as an "permanent intergovernmental conference" focusing on environmental crime
with rotating presidencies by such countries as Samoa
and Angola
, its true purpose remains difficult to discern, and recently the ECPP has attracted the attention of Italian investigative authorities, who consider it to be a probable front organization
.
capabilities of satellite
s to detect environmental crimes in Eastern and Southern Europe and eco-terrorism in Central Africa and South America."
's offices in New York, which Scaramella used to register for intergovernmental status.
The ECPP's IV Plenary Conference reportedly lasted for all of one hour. The ECPP didn't even hold a First Plenary Conference, as Scaramella thought it more credible to directly pass to the Second Conference in order to succeed in fund-raising. The "IV Plenary Conference" was then used by Scaramella to give credit to his shell organisation when he went to see other official organisations.
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. It was founded by Italian lawyer and self-styled security consultant Mario Scaramella
Mario Scaramella
Mario Scaramella is an Italian lawyer, self-styled security consultant and nuclear waste expert who came to international prominence in 2006 in connection with the poisoning of the ex-FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko...
along with his partner Filippo Marino in Naples, Italy in 1997. Describing itself as an "permanent intergovernmental conference" focusing on environmental crime
Environmental crime
Environmental crime can be broadly defined as illegal acts, which directly harmthe environment. International bodies such as the G8, Interpol, EU, UN Environment Programme and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have recognised the following environmental crimes:* Illegal...
with rotating presidencies by such countries as Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, its true purpose remains difficult to discern, and recently the ECPP has attracted the attention of Italian investigative authorities, who consider it to be a probable front organization
Front organization
A front organization is any entity set up by and controlled by another organization, such as intelligence agencies, organized crime groups, banned organizations, religious or political groups, advocacy groups, or corporations...
.
Mission and purpose
The website of Environmental Security International quotes Scaramella as describing the mission of the ECPP as "providing environmental protection and security through technology on a global basis, particularly for developing nations. ECPP has offices at the Fucino Space Center in Italy, the largest civilian space center in the world. ECPP has used aerial surveillance and the remote sensingRemote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
capabilities of satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s to detect environmental crimes in Eastern and Southern Europe and eco-terrorism in Central Africa and South America."
Stealth conferences
Among the mysteries of the ECPP was a supposed "IV Plenary Conference" held at the United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's offices in New York, which Scaramella used to register for intergovernmental status.
The ECPP's IV Plenary Conference reportedly lasted for all of one hour. The ECPP didn't even hold a First Plenary Conference, as Scaramella thought it more credible to directly pass to the Second Conference in order to succeed in fund-raising. The "IV Plenary Conference" was then used by Scaramella to give credit to his shell organisation when he went to see other official organisations.