In 1993 UNICRI issued the publication Environmental crime, sanctioning strategies and sustainable development. The monograph examined environmental crime and the legal frameworks for environmental protection in eight developing and industrialized countries, with civil law and common law traditions from diverse geographical regions. The authors also discussed sanctioning strategies and enforcement, elaborated proposals for reform and considered the need for legal and policy changes in order to better protect the environment.

In 1997 the publication Environmental Protection at National and International Levels: Potentials and Limits of Criminal Justice presented the potentials and limits of criminal justice in environmental protection, with particular focus on criminal responsibility of corporations and crimes against the environment and sustainable development; and international co-operation, including suggestions for technical co-operation through advisory services and awareness, research and training projects.

An international conference on the same subject was held in Rome in 1997, jointly organized with Legambiente and the Nucleo Ecologico dei Carabinieri. As a follow-up to the Conference, UNICRI, acting in tandem with the same partners, organized a training course on environmental protection and law enforcement.

In 1998, UNICRI participated in the regional workshop held in Apia, Samoa on Criminal law and its administration in International environmental conventions.

In 2000, UNICRI published a research paper titled Criminal organizations and crimes against the environment which is still one of the most quoted papers worldwide on the issue.

UNICRI most recent publications on environment are Eco-Crime and Justice (2010) and a the issue of UNICRI Magazine Free from Fear Planning the Environment.