The Lethal Dangers of Environmental Activism

Global Witness, an international environmental justice nonprofit with offices in London, Brussels, Palo Alto, and Washington D.C., reports that nearly 200 environmental activists were murdered for their activism last year.  The highest number of murders occurred in Columbia where 79 “land and environmental defenders” were murdered.  There were 25 people murdered in Brazil, and 18 each in Mexico and Honduras.  GW reports that “environmental defenders are also being increasingly subject to a range of tactics for silencing those who speak out for the planet across Asia, the UK, EU and US.”  Since 2012, 2,106 environmental activists have been murdered worldwide, 461 in Columbia.   Here is part of the September 10th press release:

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% 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. It highlights cases of enforced disappearances and abductions, pointed tactics used in both the Philippines and Mexico in particular, as well as the wider use of criminalisation as a tactic to silence activists across the world. The report also explores the crackdown on environmental activists across the UK, Europe and the US, where laws are increasingly being weaponised against defenders, and harsh sentences are more frequently imposed on those who have played a role in climate protests. The findings form part of a concerning trend of criminalisation cases emerging worldwide.

The largest group of victims are Indigenous Peoples, according to the report.  Indigenous People are “disproportionately targeted as victims of around a third of all lethal attacks.”  Here is some of the report:

Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge can provide insights into sustainable resource management, conservation practices, and traditional adaptation strategies, all of which can help better respond to the threats posed by climate change.  And yet, far from being listened to, Indigenous Peoples have been the subject of vicious attacks. Between 2012 and 2023, 766 of them were murdered, representing 36% of all killings of environmental defenders. 

At the heart of this violence is the increasing rush for land, which results in land grabbing – the acquisition of land on a large scale, often without consent, for extraction and production purposes, including agricultural commodities, biofuels, minerals and timber. A recent declaration issued by Indigenous Peoples Rights International denounces increased criminalisation and attacks against Indigenous defenders who speak out against the impositions of mining and energy projects that violate their rights.

This dynamic has been widely reported and is well understood. As the world moves towards a greener economy, however, we risk perpetuating this model and therefore repeating the mistakes of the past.  More than half of the minerals needed for the energy transition are located in or near the lands of Indigenous Peoples and peasant peoples, who have the right to be consulted before any operations take place on their lands.

darryll k. jones