146 Environmental Activists Killed or Disappeared in 2024

At least 146 people were killed or disappeared last year for environmental activism, according to a new report by the international non-governmental organization Global Witness. The countries with the highest death tolls were Colombia (48), Guatemala (20), Mexico (19), Brazil (12) and the Philippines (8). Of those counted last year, 33 percent were Indigenous Peoples. These figures are likely even low estimates due to underreporting, which comes down to an array of reasons whether that’s journalists being targeted or families refraining from seeking justice for fear of retaliation.

Global Witness has been documenting these killings since 2012. Since then, at least 2,253 defenders have been killed or disappeared. Latin America has continued to have the most documented murders of land and environmental defenders, with Colombia the deadliest place of all. In just over a decade, 509 people were killed or disappeared there. It is followed by Brazil with 413. Meanwhile, 485 defenders were killed or disappeared in Asia between 2012 and 2024, with most of these in the Philippines (306), India (87), Indonesia (25) and Thailand (13).

The most dangerous industry last year was that of mining and extractives, where at least 29 cases were reported due to their work followed by logging (8) and agribusinesses (4). Just under a third of all cases last year were linked to organized crime, while states were also active perpetrators of violence, with armed forces, police and other government entities linked to the killings of 17 defenders.

This year’s report also highlights how land and environmental defenders are among those at risk in conflict zones, but that the violence and mass displacements caused by breakdowns in the rule of law and the fracturing of civil space impedes the recording of such violations. This means the documenting of killings of land and environmental defenders within these contexts, including Palestinian defenders, has not been possible for 2024.

Just some of the measures Global Witness is calling for include for governments to systematically document attacks and reprisals of environmental defenders and their communities, as well as to establish strong, legally binding frameworks to uphold corporate accountability and human rights and guarantee the recognition and protection of defenders and their communities.