Over 2,100 Environmental Defenders Killed Globally In A Decade

A new report released by Global Witness has revealed that at least 196 land and environmental defenders were killed in 2023 for trying to protect their homes, community or the planet.

The new figures bring the total number of defender killings to 2,106 between 2012 and 2023. Overall, Colombia was found to be the deadliest country in the world, with 79 deaths in total last year – compared to 60 in 2022, and 33 in 2021.

This is the most defenders killed in one country in a single year Global Witness has ever recorded. With 461 killings from 2012 to 2023, Colombia has the highest number of reported environmental defender killings globally on record.

Other deadly countries in Latin America include Brazil, with 25 killings last year, and Mexico and Honduras, which both had 18 killings. Central America has emerged as one of the most dangerous places in the world for defenders.

With 18 defenders killed in Honduras, the country had the highest number of killings per capita in 2023. A total of 10 defenders were also killed in Nicaragua last year, while four were killed in Guatemala, and four in Panama.

Worldwide, Indigenous Peoples and Afro descendents continue to be disproportionately targeted, accounting for 49 per cent of total murders. Laura Furones, Lead Author and Senior Advisor to the Land and Environmental Defenders Campaign at Global Witness said: “As the climate crisis accelerates, those who use their voice to courageously defend our planet are met with violence, intimidation, and murder. Our data shows that the number of killings remains alarmingly high, a situation that is simply unacceptable.

“Governments cannot stand idly by; they must take decisive action to protect defenders and to address the underlying drivers of violence against them. Activists and their communities are essential in efforts to prevent and remedy harms caused by climate damaging industries. We cannot afford to, nor should we tolerate, losing any more lives.”

While establishing a direct relationship between the murder of a defender and specific corporate interests remains difficult, Global Witness identified mining as the biggest industry driver by far, with 25 defenders killed after opposing mining operations in 2023. Other industries include fishing (5), logging (5), agribusiness (4), roads and infrastructure (4) and hydropower (2).

In total, 23 of the 25 mining-related killings globally last year happened in Latin America. But more than 40 per cent of all mining-related killings between 2012 and 2023 occurred in Asia – home to significant natural reserves of key critical minerals vital for clean energy technologies.

As well as highlighting the number of killings worldwide, the report unearths wider trends in non-lethal attacks and their harmful impacts on communities globally.

Jonila Castro, a Filipino activist who was abducted by the Philippines military in 2023 and currently facing criminalization, featured in the report, said: “Even after our release from abduction, threats continued. We are facing difficulties in returning to our homes and communities. We are still experiencing surveillance, red-tagging, and intimidation. Attacks to silence environmental defenders challenge our advocacy for environmental protection and people’s rights.

Nonhle Mbuthuma, author of the report’s foreword and Goldman Environmental Prize Winner 2024, said: “Across every corner of the globe, those who dare to expose the devastating impact of extractive industries—deforestation, pollution, and land grabbing—are met with violence and intimidation. This is especially true for Indigenous Peoples, who are essential in the fight against climate change, yet are disproportionately targeted year after year.