This introductory guide for the Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC) project:

• outlines the impact of illicit financial flows on conservation goals;
• explains approaches that can help conservation and natural resource management practitioners to strengthen their programming and related responses;
• offers guidance on risks and constraints to such financial approaches.

It leads the Illicit Financial Flows topic page of the TNRC Knowledge Hub and is designed to help practitioners find relevant resources.

The key takeaways are:

1. Understanding the financial aspects of natural resource crimes and corruption can reveal opportunities to reduce the incentives to illegally exploit and trade in natural resources, as well as to strengthen law enforcement against those who profit from environmental destruction.
2. Targeting the financial aspects of natural resource crimes, especially where money crosses borders, can help to identify and break up corrupt and criminal networks and lead to the recovery of illicit proceeds.
3. "Follow the money” approaches vary according to context, but generally require multi-stakeholder and cross-sector collaboration and information sharing.

The Basel Institute's Green Corruption team developed the guide in collaboration with TNRC consortium partners and external experts.