Innovative approach to collect and analyze information

The CCCA takes an innovative approach to collect and analyze information relevant to climate crimes. This approach follows the Law Enforcement Support Model, which explains how to improve the effectiveness of the judicial branch of government to confront global challenges, such as climate change, by empowering citizens and other non-state actors to provide it with the support needed to do so.

For each specific project, the CCCA partners with NGOs, other organizations and experts that have access to information and/or expertise relevant to that project, and carries out the following activities:

• Collect publicly available information. The CCCA develops preliminary case hypotheses by gathering and reviewing open source information that was collected by other organizations, including IGOs, NGOs, media organisations, business corporations, IT and other technology companies, educational institutions and private individuals.

• Collect additional information. The CCCA tests and consolidates its case hypotheses by collecting additional information through the following methods:
  • Conduct cutting edge open source investigation and analysis. Open source investigation techniques rely on modern information technology and are increasingly used by national and international law enforcement authorities. They include www, Dark Web and social media exploitation through Onion Scan, Phyton, Wayback Machine and other techniques. The analysis conducted through these means includes geolocation of videos and photographs, satellite imagery and radio signals analysis, identification of persons and objects, tracking of movements and the verification of documents.
  • Rely on a network of organizations, including NGO who are already  deployed on the ground, and experts to collect information relevant to an investigation. The CCCA coordinates the information collection of these organizations and experts and provides guidance on the type of information that is sought, on minimum standards that should be adhered to when collecting, storing and sharing information and on measures to avoid or limit risks. Through this coordination and guidance, the CCCA ensures that the information collected by the CCCA's partner organizations and experts is relevant to criminal investigations and prosecutions, as complete as possible and admissible as evidence in potential court proceedings.
  • Make targeted requests for additional information to potential information holders.
  • Solicit the provision of documents, and communication with, anonymous sources through a secure communication channel (SecureDrop).

• Conduct legal and forensic analysis of information in light of potential climate crimes. In so doing, the CCCA undertakes the following steps:
  • Identify reliable information by applying a standard analytical methodology, by focussing on the best information and by seeking corroboration from multiple independent sources.
  • Analyse reliable information in light or the relevant substantive and procedural law. The CCCA ensures that there is a jurisdictional basis and focusses on crimes that are most likely to be prosecuted successfully.
  • Analyze potentially exonerating information and theories.
  • Conduct a gap analysis and provide lead information on how the identified gaps could be addressed through a formal investigation.
  • Identify and analyse security risks for sources.

• Share information leads and analysis in a user-friendly case file with relevant law enforcement agencies, either directly or through a law enforcement organization or network, after ensuring that the competent authorities have the capacity and willingness to investigate and prosecute. The CCCA further triggers, coordinates and supports a multifaceted enforcement and litigation campaign by sharing information and analysis with non-judicial national authorities, UN/EU/US sanction regimes, IGOs or NGOs, for instance to inform administrative enforcement, to impose travel bans and asset freezes, and to support civil litigation or public advocacy. The CCCA also shares information and analysis with private businesses and financial institutions to assist them in conducting due diligence assessments of their supply chains or investments. Such information sharing is subject to an assessment that it does not have any detrimental impact on potential or actual investigations or on the security of information providers or persons identified in the shared information. In addition, it is subject to the consent of the information providers.