Overview

• The Ecomafia 2025 report records 40,590 environmental crimes in 2024, up 14.4% year-on-year.
• Illicit turnover rose to €9.3 billion with 11 new mafia clans linked to eco-crimes and 42.6% of cases concentrated in Campania, Puglia, Calabria and Sicily.
• Green procurement corruption probes climbed 17.3% with 88 investigations and 862 people reported for graft in public works and waste management.
• One-third of eco-offenses occurred in the cement sector with 13,621 cases, while crimes against cultural heritage jumped 23.4% to 2,956.
• Legambiente urges fast-track adoption of the EU environmental crime directive by May 2026 and the establishment of a national anti-abusivism plan to strengthen controls.