Mapping our Environmental Footprint
The OSINT Forest Tracker as a Case Study for Digital Investigations of Environmental Crimes
Co-authored by Rosie Foulds, Navreet Purewal, Margherita Cordellini, Catherine Tong, Miyu Nagashima
Context on using Open Source in Environmental Crimes
Open source investigation techniques (OSINT) can be defined as the practice of collecting and analyzing publicly available information to inform research and investigations. Investigators aiming to expose environmental harms are increasingly relying on OSINT, which is proving crucial in complementing more traditional investigative tools. The integration of on-the-ground investigations with open source research is a “dynamic synergy that amplifies the capabilities of investigative endeavors.” Together, OSINT and traditional tools provide a comprehensive insight on the problem and its latest developments, to which investigators can readily adapt thanks to open source research’s timeliness, efficiency and accessibility.
Using publicly available data such as regulatory compliance databases, air and water quality reports, and satellite imagery, OSINT can help support investigators as they explore potential environmental crimes. Several NGOs created online platforms providing free data and tools to users and institutions monitoring human activity’s impact on the environment. Global Fishing Watch and Global Forest Watch, which respectively identify illegal fishing activities and monitor deforestation, are two notable examples. Moreover, public health researchers underscore OSINT’s pivotal role in tracking environmental pollution and degradation and in developing “warning and indicators of potential human health risks during conflicts.” An example of OSINT-based environmental assessment during conflict is the use of the Flash Environmental Assessment Tool (FEAT) in Syria. The FEAT, designed to be employed for chemical and natural disasters, has been coupled with information gathered from social media to track down deposits of hazardous materials during the Syrian civil war.
OSINT can also include monitoring online forums, news outlets, and social media to understand the environmental context faced by a given community. Notably, by sharing health statistics and other relevant information on open-source platforms such as ReliefWeb or Humanitarian Data Exchange, humanitarian organizations have contributed to uncover environmental crimes in conflict areas. In this way, they provide comprehensive near real time information. Furthermore, past OSINT investigations have successfully used geospatial analysis to strengthen cases, visualizing patterns of illegal activities with GIS mapping. With its unique ability to provide investigators unique insights on environmental wrongdoings, OSINT stands as an indispensable tool in promoting environmental justice.
Intro to the OSINT Forest Area Tracker Case Study
The OSINT Forest Area Tracker is an example of an open source tool created for researchers, investigators, and journalists to study areas affected by fires and deforestation. The tool was created when environmental researchers visited Ukraine’s national parks in September 2022, seven months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Generally, national parks are better protected against climate change with NGO and government support. However, Ukraine’s national parks have been deeply affected by the conflict, particularly by munitions, the consequences of which have not been addressed due to a redirection of funds to the war. For example, the second largest mountain range, the Carpathian Mountains, goes through Ukraine and contains Europe’s primeval forests, yet does not receive the treatment a defined Protected Area should anymore due to the war.
Due to the ongoing conflict with Russia, it is difficult for researchers to conduct on-the-ground forest research. Thus, researchers created the OSINT Forest Area Tracker to assess damage and forest health remotely. The tool is available open source, and is hosted on Google Earth Engine. To use the tracker, one selects a range of dates of the destruction being investigated, then clicks on the map region or enters coordinates.
Methodology Used in the Case Study
In terms of the tool’s methodology, the OSINT Forest Area Tracker harnesses data sourced from the Sentinel-2 satellite. It operates on Google Earth Engine, a geospatial platform designed to empower researchers to analyze remote sensing data across a variety of sources. This function enables researchers to map trends in forest health onto the Earth’s surface, offering insights into environmental shifts. Researchers can study parameters like temperatures, moisture levels, and vegetation changes. Moreover, the tool aids in identifying burned areas and burn severity across large territories, by collecting near-infrared and shortwave infrared data for its “Normalised Burn Ratio Index.”
However, it’s crucial that researchers cross-reference their findings from the tool with data from other sources to corroborate findings, including social media, news reports, fire data, or local witness testimonies. This holistic approach endures a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes behind the data observations. The tool should not be used to directly attribute causality. The OSINT Forest Area Tracker serves as an invaluable resource for researchers investigating forest damage in Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict, offering a foundational platform from which to start analysis and investigate the environmental consequences of the conflict.
Larger Implications for Open Source Research
The Forest Tracker’s utility extends to a diverse array of stakeholders, including environmental NGOs, research institutions, human rights organizations, and government agencies, facilitating the assessment of conflict-affected regions’ impacts and aiding in ecological monitoring for disaster response and open-source research endeavors. Moreover, journalists and geospatial analysts can benefit significantly from the tool’s capacity to visualize and analyze environmental changes derived from remote sensing data, thereby enhancing their investigative and reporting capabilities.
Conclusion
The utilization of open source technologies for environmental research and advocacy is a burgeoning frontier, rapidly evolving and expanding. The Investigations Lab at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center is expanding its reach within this newer research area. In collaboration with our sister labs at the UCLA Promise Institute for Human Rights and the Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas at UC Santa Cruz, we have crafted a comprehensive guide tailored to equip researchers, journalists, and legal practitioners with the tools needed to employ open source investigative methods effectively in documenting environmental harms. Drawing on the insights of leading experts in the field, our aim is to empower individuals to navigate this innovative terrain with confidence by providing practical strategies on how to take advantage of the tools emerging in this space, and innovate new ones.
Our team authored this blog post to reflect on the application of environmentally-focused open source investigation work, using the OSINT Forest Area Tracker as an illustration of how this can look in real-world investigations. We aim to highlight how OSINT not only broadens our capacity to advocate for meaningful environmental legislation and corporate accountability, but also fosters a more inclusive approach to addressing urgent environmental crises worldwide — connecting networks of advocates and broadcasting environmental crises across the globe to an international audience. With our guide and accompanying reflections, we hope to contribute to the ongoing dialogue and literature surrounding this exciting frontier of OSINT research and practice.
