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Green Crime: Inside the Minds of the People Destroying the Planet, and How to Stop Them
Traffickers. Hit men. Outlaws. Thieves . . .
Our planet is a crime scene – but can we catch the killers?
Enter a world where people are murdered, ecosystems are destroyed, organised criminals terrorise communities and corporate gangsters operate outside the law. And, closely following their every move, are teams of secret agents, vigilantes and scientists who are fighting for our planet’s future.
Using insider sources and her expertise as a criminal psychologist, Julia Shaw takes us deep into some of the worst environmental crimes of our time. She reconstructs the minds of the perpetrators in cases like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Dieselgate emissions scandal and the Shuidong wildlife crime syndicate. From the Amazon forest to South African gold mines, she follows the impact of green crimes right to our doorsteps and meticulously profiles the work of the heroes bringing these criminals to justice.
Shaw how do the Earth’s killers think? What makes their crimes so deadly? And how can we stop them from stealing our future?
Green Crime is the most far-reaching murder mystery ever told.
Our planet is a crime scene – but can we catch the killers?
Enter a world where people are murdered, ecosystems are destroyed, organised criminals terrorise communities and corporate gangsters operate outside the law. And, closely following their every move, are teams of secret agents, vigilantes and scientists who are fighting for our planet’s future.
Using insider sources and her expertise as a criminal psychologist, Julia Shaw takes us deep into some of the worst environmental crimes of our time. She reconstructs the minds of the perpetrators in cases like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Dieselgate emissions scandal and the Shuidong wildlife crime syndicate. From the Amazon forest to South African gold mines, she follows the impact of green crimes right to our doorsteps and meticulously profiles the work of the heroes bringing these criminals to justice.
Shaw how do the Earth’s killers think? What makes their crimes so deadly? And how can we stop them from stealing our future?
Green Crime is the most far-reaching murder mystery ever told.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 9, 2025
About the author
Julia Shaw
7 books306 followersJulia Shaw is an honorary research associate at the University College London. Born in Germany and raised in Canada, she has a MS in psychology and law and a PhD in psychology from the University of British Columbia. She is a regular contributor to Scientific American.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 7, 2026
Such an excellent and accessible non fiction book! I’m a little sad it isn’t getting the attention it deserves. I went to a talk by the author and her deep knowledge and passion was so inspiring.
I loved the premise of the book- looking at specific case studies of environmental crimes and assessing why they happened from a psychological perspective. It definitely has more engaging narrative structure than a lot of other non-fiction and blends facts with well-paced stories and interviews.
Would recommend this to anyone regardless of how well you know about the climate crisis. It’s obviously bleak at times but by demonstrating the tireless work done by those trying to defend the environment the author highlights the importance of hope and taking meaningful action.
I loved the premise of the book- looking at specific case studies of environmental crimes and assessing why they happened from a psychological perspective. It definitely has more engaging narrative structure than a lot of other non-fiction and blends facts with well-paced stories and interviews.
Would recommend this to anyone regardless of how well you know about the climate crisis. It’s obviously bleak at times but by demonstrating the tireless work done by those trying to defend the environment the author highlights the importance of hope and taking meaningful action.
April 18, 2026
The subject of this book is very compelling, but the writing style was distractingly infuriating. Each chapter is dedicated to the story of some environmental crime and spends 50 pages digging into the circumstances and trying to dig into the minds of the perpetrators. But even within each chapter, the author constantly jumps around between topics in a way that gave me whiplash. “But before we get to more of this actual story, let me pivot and tell you about something tangentially related...” happened at least once in all six chapters. The constant waffling and jumping around between timelines was insanely frustrating. The writing also, at many points, evoked that of a tell-don’t-show a high school essay. In every single chapter the author felt the need to use the exact same language of “I’ll explain how this happened and what this reveals about the psychology of green crime.” Again, every single chapter. I genuinely cannot believe that an editor signed off on this boilerplate writing style, or worse, that an editor directed the author to write in this way. Maybe because they thought this language would make the book more accessible to more readers? I learned a lot from reading this, and I can tell that the author did her due diligence with the research and reporting that went into this book, so it’s just such a shame that it was written so poorly.
March 27, 2026
2.5/5
I was really excited for this book, like really. Especially when I randomly saw it in the store and decided I wanted to read it. BUT it disappointed… it had so much potential since it touched on water pollution, deforestation, animal endangerment and a few more but the style of the book was too chaotic for me, I couldn’t focus on what I was reading which resulted in me not retaining as much information as I wanted.
I don’t think I’d recommend it
I was really excited for this book, like really. Especially when I randomly saw it in the store and decided I wanted to read it. BUT it disappointed… it had so much potential since it touched on water pollution, deforestation, animal endangerment and a few more but the style of the book was too chaotic for me, I couldn’t focus on what I was reading which resulted in me not retaining as much information as I wanted.
I don’t think I’d recommend it
April 16, 2026
To be clear, I have no issues at all with the content of the book. I agree with the author on almost every point. Psychology and the environment sounds like an awesome combo. But I just could not get over how unrefined this book is. There were so many fragmented sentences, spotty transitions, and uncontextualized information dumps that the effect detracts from the argument that is being made. The book jumps around in time, which is usually fine, but the transitions between sections are disjointed and abrupt.
If the goal is to be a casual read, fine. But you can create a casual tone without detracting from the story. Every case study was a prime example of telling, not showing — imagine my surprise when on page 289 the author mentioned “show, don’t tell” as a strategy that “many budding writers will have heard of.”
This book is trying to be two things at the same time: an academic case study and an entertaining nonfiction read. But the problem is that these two modalities are so different that it’s hard to switch between the two — and this book never sticks the landing. You jump around between these two worlds without spending enough time in either to fully develop into a sound narrative or an interesting psychological framework. In the words of Ron Swanson, it’s trying to half-ass two things instead of whole assing one thing.
I admit that these are all pieces that probably won’t bother most people. Overall, the book is a great introduction to how green crime works and will certainly force those who read it to question their own habits and reflect on what they can do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. There is value in the academic framework here and the facts about our own planet are powerful. I think this is a compelling (at times gruesome) and tragic story. But is ultimately hopeful, and asks everyone to self-reflect on both their impact on the world and what you can (and/or should) do about it.
I feel the need to explain and qualify this review because of how much I agree with the arguments and how much the author’s work resonates with me. The author is clearly so passionate and knowledgeable about green crime, and I have deep respect for her and her work. I have come away knowing more than I did before. Again, the content is not at fault here. Whatever editing was done clearly failed the book, and I wish that didn’t come at the expense of the narrative.
To me unfortunately, the entire book read like a B- college research paper.
If the goal is to be a casual read, fine. But you can create a casual tone without detracting from the story. Every case study was a prime example of telling, not showing — imagine my surprise when on page 289 the author mentioned “show, don’t tell” as a strategy that “many budding writers will have heard of.”
This book is trying to be two things at the same time: an academic case study and an entertaining nonfiction read. But the problem is that these two modalities are so different that it’s hard to switch between the two — and this book never sticks the landing. You jump around between these two worlds without spending enough time in either to fully develop into a sound narrative or an interesting psychological framework. In the words of Ron Swanson, it’s trying to half-ass two things instead of whole assing one thing.
I admit that these are all pieces that probably won’t bother most people. Overall, the book is a great introduction to how green crime works and will certainly force those who read it to question their own habits and reflect on what they can do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. There is value in the academic framework here and the facts about our own planet are powerful. I think this is a compelling (at times gruesome) and tragic story. But is ultimately hopeful, and asks everyone to self-reflect on both their impact on the world and what you can (and/or should) do about it.
I feel the need to explain and qualify this review because of how much I agree with the arguments and how much the author’s work resonates with me. The author is clearly so passionate and knowledgeable about green crime, and I have deep respect for her and her work. I have come away knowing more than I did before. Again, the content is not at fault here. Whatever editing was done clearly failed the book, and I wish that didn’t come at the expense of the narrative.
To me unfortunately, the entire book read like a B- college research paper.
September 18, 2025
Allen, die es noch nicht gelesen haben, kann ich es nur wärmstens empfehlen 🌍💚 – denn Umwelt betrifft uns alle. In sechs klar strukturierten Kapiteln erhält man nicht nur einen umfassenden Überblick über zentrale Umweltprobleme ♻️, sondern auch über die Menschen, die aktiv dagegen ankämpfen 💪. Besonders wertvoll finde ich, dass das Buch nicht nur die Täterinnen zeigt 🚫, sondern auch die Aktivistinnen, Fachleute und engagierten Menschen 🙌, die für unsere Zukunft eintreten 🌱 und die Rechte der Natur verteidigen 🌳⚖️.
September 2, 2025
Ich habe gerade Julia's neues Buch „Green Crime“ gelesen und war beeindruckt, wie sie ihr Wissen als Rechtspsychologin genutzt hat, um ein so wichtiges Werk zur Bekämpfung der Umweltkrise zu schreiben. Durch die lebendige und spannende Erzählweise habe ich es in wenigen Tagen verschlungen. Es ist bereits das vierte Buch, das ich mit Begeisterung von ihr gelesen habe – diesmal sogar mit gleich zwei Themen, die mich besonders interessieren: die Psychologie des Menschen und das Klima.
December 11, 2025
This is a really well written exploration of an area of crime that doesn’t usually get the attention it deserves. The book explains some genuinely complex issues in a way that feels clear and manageable, and her use of the six pillars to explain the key motivations behind each type of environmental crime helps make sense of it all.
I particularly liked the chapter on wildlife trafficking, if liked is the right word for something so grim. It’s a hugely complicated subject, and she manages to show just how tangled the whole system is without it ever feeling overwhelming.
What also stood out is that the book isn’t all bleak as a lot of non-fiction literature on the environment can often be. There’s actually a sense of hope in seeing how many people and organisations are out there fighting for the environment in really practical ways. It leaves you feeling like progress is possible, even if the scale of the problem is massive.
Overall, smart, clear and unexpectedly uplifting given the topic. Worth a read.
I particularly liked the chapter on wildlife trafficking, if liked is the right word for something so grim. It’s a hugely complicated subject, and she manages to show just how tangled the whole system is without it ever feeling overwhelming.
What also stood out is that the book isn’t all bleak as a lot of non-fiction literature on the environment can often be. There’s actually a sense of hope in seeing how many people and organisations are out there fighting for the environment in really practical ways. It leaves you feeling like progress is possible, even if the scale of the problem is massive.
Overall, smart, clear and unexpectedly uplifting given the topic. Worth a read.
February 21, 2026
Die Autorin beschreibt sechs Umweltverbrechen und analysiert diese anhand von sechs Säulen der Umweltkriminalität: Bequemlichkeit, Straffreiheit, Gier, Rationalisierung, Konformität und Verzweiflung.
Es ist interessant über diese Verbrechen zu lesen, vieles wusste ich noch nicht und habe mich über die Dreistigkeit und Bösartigkeit geärgert, mit denen CEO's die Welt verschmutzen.
Weniger gefallen hat mir der Schreibstil. Die Autorin versucht Spannung aufzubauen, fängt mit einem Thema an und verspricht dann später darauf zurückzukommen, um sich erst einmal einem anderen Aspekt zu widmen. An anderen Stellen vereinfacht sie nicht genug oder ich hatte den Eindruck, dass sie Themen noch schnell anhandeln wollte.
Insgesamt habe ich einiges gelernt, auch wenn ich jetzt nicht vorhabe, mich irgendwo in die Eismeere zu stellen und aufzupassen, dass kein falscher Fisch illegal gefangen wird. Respekt all deenen, die sich so stark einsetzen.
Es ist interessant über diese Verbrechen zu lesen, vieles wusste ich noch nicht und habe mich über die Dreistigkeit und Bösartigkeit geärgert, mit denen CEO's die Welt verschmutzen.
Weniger gefallen hat mir der Schreibstil. Die Autorin versucht Spannung aufzubauen, fängt mit einem Thema an und verspricht dann später darauf zurückzukommen, um sich erst einmal einem anderen Aspekt zu widmen. An anderen Stellen vereinfacht sie nicht genug oder ich hatte den Eindruck, dass sie Themen noch schnell anhandeln wollte.
Insgesamt habe ich einiges gelernt, auch wenn ich jetzt nicht vorhabe, mich irgendwo in die Eismeere zu stellen und aufzupassen, dass kein falscher Fisch illegal gefangen wird. Respekt all deenen, die sich so stark einsetzen.
March 24, 2026
I was disillusioned in my job. If I’m honest, this book makes me query some of my experiences in work. Its distillation of why people from all aspects of society commit environmental crime was incredibly eye opening and reflective of my own experiences.
Dr Shaw has an incredible ability of making complex psychological concepts easy to understand through well told narratives. It did jump around slightly within the narrative, more than you would in a story but I think that was down to telling intricate tales and moral stories and so each page had to capture the detail that she wanted to convey.
The bringing it back to the key concepts of why everyone commits eco crime makes it easy to remember and ties it well together. I do probably need to read it again to commit the messages to memory to take into my life. Overall, a brilliant read and would recommend to anyone to understand why green crime happens and why we need to do something about it.
Dr Shaw has an incredible ability of making complex psychological concepts easy to understand through well told narratives. It did jump around slightly within the narrative, more than you would in a story but I think that was down to telling intricate tales and moral stories and so each page had to capture the detail that she wanted to convey.
The bringing it back to the key concepts of why everyone commits eco crime makes it easy to remember and ties it well together. I do probably need to read it again to commit the messages to memory to take into my life. Overall, a brilliant read and would recommend to anyone to understand why green crime happens and why we need to do something about it.
January 15, 2026
I don’t think this is the book that will change the world and cause the world to take notice. But, it wasn’t bad. It was interesting listening to stories of those that are working against the rules and laws for the purpose of making money.
I do think that some stories were better than others, and I did find myself tuning out from time to time, without the need to go back and figure out what I missed.
I do think that some stories were better than others, and I did find myself tuning out from time to time, without the need to go back and figure out what I missed.
April 18, 2026
of all the non fiction books I’ve read this year, this has been the most interesting. Studying ecological issues through a criminal lense has offered a new perspective to judge the state of our climate.
October 13, 2025
Sehr informatives Buch über die Verbrechen, die an Erde, Luft und Tieren begangen wurden. Teilweise musste ich pausieren, da ich mich entweder zu sehr aufgeregt habe, oder zu traurig war.
January 5, 2026
this was actually very insightful and throught provoking. it answered a lot of questions i had but i am still sort of unclear on the proposed solutions.
January 7, 2026
With 6 examples the psychologist Julia Shaw dives deep into the different kinds and reasons for green crime. Very interesting and fast to read.
January 23, 2026
An interesting set of case studies about environmental horrors.
February 10, 2026
Ein sehr erschreckendes Buch, unglaublich aktuell, das mir oft auf schmerzhafte Art den Spiegel vorgehalten hat.
February 10, 2026
I was disappointed in Julia Shaw's book. It told me only a little I didn't know, I didn't like the style of writing and the format of each chapter felt clunky. oh dear.
February 15, 2026
There was very little new information for me in this book. The writing constantly jumps back and forth, which makes it difficult to follow and disrupts the flow.
March 3, 2026
Loved this book! Gives you a completely different take on “sustainability” and climate change, highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews