Maxwell Bernstein | July 31, 2020

A report from the environmental centered NGO Global Witness found that 212 environmental activists were killed in 2019, which averages to more than four per week.  

The findings from the organization found that half of all reported killings occurred in Colombia and the Philippines. In 2019, 64 activists were killed in Colombia while 43 were killed in the Philippines.

The report found that 40% of the victims belonged to indigenous communities, with over a third of all fatal attacks between 2015 and 2019 being targeted toward indigenous people. Over 1 in 10 environmental activists who were killed were women. 

“For years, land and environmental defenders have been the first line of defence against climate breakdown,” the report said. “Yet despite clearer evidence than ever of the crucial role they play, far too many businesses, financiers and governments fail to safeguard their vital and peaceful work.”