Somalis Fight Back: Environmental Degradation and the Somali Pirate

This chapter provides an in-depth examination of the structural issues within the country of Somalia as they relate to the significant environmental degradation experienced by the Somali people. Informed by literature from green criminology, this chapter will highlight the environmental issues that are central to the economic desperation that plagues the country. The goal is to demonstrate that piracy can be viewed as a more viable option to ensure individual and industry survival than more traditional forms of employment that are viewed as more legitimate within the broader socio-political global order. Before describing the origins and causes of environmental degradation in Somalia, I will first provide a brief overview of the issue of piracy in Somalia and the literature on green criminology, as it will be applied here.