Joseph Poux

Joseph Poux, Deputy Chief of the Environmental Crimes Section at the U.S. Department of Justice, offers a rare window into the world of environmental crime prosecution in this Earth Live interview.

Poux leads a team of federal prosecutors who handle cases involving wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, illegal fishing, and pollution. He explains how environmental crimes are investigated and prosecuted, the legal tools available to federal prosecutors, and why environmental crime has become an increasing priority for the Department of Justice. The conversation covers landmark cases and the challenges of building prosecutions that often span multiple jurisdictions and countries.

The interview reveals the growing sophistication of environmental crime enforcement and makes clear that treating environmental destruction as a serious crime, rather than a regulatory violation, represents a fundamental shift in how the legal system approaches the protection of natural resources.