Environmental Investigation Agency

Description

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an international organization that investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse. It was founded in 1984 in the United Kingdom. EIA UK and EIA US are separate legal entities, with offices in London and Washington, D.C.

It uses undercover investigations to expose transnational wildlife crime, including trafficking in elephants, tigers and pangolins, and forest crimes such as illegal logging and deforestation linked to palm oil. It works to protect marine ecosystems from plastic pollution, bycatch and the commercial exploitation of whales, dolphins and porpoises. It also campaigns to eliminate powerful greenhouse gases used in the cooling sector and to expose illicit trade in them.

EIA uses its findings to campaign for stronger legislation, better governance and more effective law enforcement. It provides guidance to enforcement agencies drawn from its field experience, and forms partnerships with local groups and activists, supporting their work through hands-on training. It also produces reports and interactive maps documenting illegal wildlife trade as an open resource.