Record number of killings of environmental activists in one year

At least 227 environmentalists and activists were killed worldwide in 2020, an unprecedented number of environmental crimes. Three-quarters of the victims were in South America.

In many countries, the risk of death for environmentalists and conservationists has increased. According to a report published by the NGO Global Witness, more than 227 people working to prevent deforestation, land grabbing and other forms of environmental degradation were killed in 2020 – that’s four murders a week!

According to the organization's statistics, three-quarters of these crimes occurred in Latin America: 65 people were killed in Colombia, 30 in Mexico, and 20 in Brazil.

Global Witness believes that the actual number of deaths is much higher.

At least 212 environmental activists were killed around the world in 2019.

"2020 was the worst year in this regard," German-language news website Tagesschau quoted Lourdes Castro of the Colombian NGO Somos Defensores as saying. "Aggression against environmental and human rights activists has increased dramatically."

According to this environmental activist, indigenous people who defend their ancestral lands are attacked more than others.

More importance to people and the planet

The results of Global Witness research show that worldwide, most murders of environmentalists and activists have been related to deforestation, followed by water and dam construction projects and agriculture.

"Until governments take the protection of environmental activists seriously and until businesses prioritize people and the planet, both environmental destruction and killing will continue," says Chris Madden, a spokesman for the organization.

He emphasizes that those who risk their lives to fight the climate crisis and to save forests, rivers, and ecosystems are under great pressure.

In addition to acts of violence and murder, threats, smear campaigns and legal actions against environmental activists have increased. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), activists are increasingly being spied on and threatened online.

According to Global Witness, “repression, intimidation, and overt surveillance can seriously impact the motivation and mental health of activists.”

The organization's report also states that behind the violent acts are mainly business companies, criminal gangs, paramilitary groups, rebels, farmers, and in some cases government agents and institutions.

Not long ago, the Afe news agency reported that deforestation in six Brazilian ecosystems expanded to 13,853 square kilometers in 2020, an increase of 13.6% compared to 2019.

According to the report, despite the significant increase in deforestation in the region, Brazil's state-run Environment Institute, the most important official body monitoring deforestation, has only investigated five percent of the areas where illegal logging has occurred.

Source: DW