The UN defines environmental human rights defenders as “individuals and groups who, in their personal or professional capacity and in a peaceful manner, strive to protect and promote human rights relating to the environment, including water, air, land, flora and fauna”.
Environmental defenders remain highly vulnerable and under attack across the globe. Worldwide, environmental defenders face growing assaults and murders – in conjunction with increasing intimidation, harassment, stigmatization and criminalization. At least three people a week are killed protecting our environmental rights – while many more are harassed, intimidated, criminalized and forced from their lands.
“For their tireless work in empowering communities and protecting ecosystems, environmental defenders are killed in startling numbers. Murder is not the only way environmental defenders are persecuted; for every 1 killed, there are 20 to 100 others harassed, unlawfully and lawfully arrested, and sued for defamation, amongst other intimidations” – John Knox, former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment.
The United Nations has recognized the threats to environmental defenders and called for their protection. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) builds on this work to support environmental defenders through its Defenders Policy, through which we:
- Denounce the attacks, torture, intimidation and murders of environmental defenders;
- Advocate with states and non-state actors, including business, for better protection of environmental rights and the people standing up for these rights;
- Support the responsible management of natural resources;
- Request government and companies’ accountability for the different events where environmental defenders have been affected / murdered.
And that problems exist – even in the developed world – is demonstrated again by the 19 April 2024 piece: https://theconversation.com/three-reasons-to-support-environmental-defenders-227742
Forst, in his report, puts it like this: “states must address the root causes of mobilisation” not the mobilisation itself. Indeed, tackling protesters and not oil producers is the democratic equivalent of rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic.
https://www.unep.org/topics/environmental-law-and-governance/who-are-environmental-defenders
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 