The report "Global Witness Annual Defenders Report 2023/2024: Missing voices – The violent erasure of land and environmental defenders " by Global Witness highlights the alarming and ongoing violence faced by environmental defenders globally, with 196 murders documented in 2023. The actual number is likely higher, as not all cases are reported or recognized. This brings the total number of environmental defenders murdered to 2,106 since Global Witness began tracking these killings in 2012.
Following the report, this violence often goes beyond killings, as defenders are targeted by governments, businesses, and non-state actors through intimidation, smear campaigns, criminalization, and other forms of retaliation. The murdered individuals were working to protect land, resources, biodiversity, and human rights, with many victims involved in efforts to counter climate change, protect ecosystems, or prevent pollution.
The report offers several key and also regional recommendations for how states, governments and businesses can better protect land and environmental defenders (p. 57ff.). It is recommended that governments ensure the safety of environmental defenders through stronger laws, better documentation of attacks, and improved access to justice. Businesses were urged to prevent harm by adopting zero-tolerance policies and involving defenders in decision-making. The report also calls for global accountability and stricter due diligence to address violence against defenders.
