Land and environmental defenders are at the forefront of action to address the causes and impacts of climate change and yet despite their vital contributions to protecting our shared planet, experience threats and violence because of their work, as well as heightened risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global Witness' 2020 annual report on killings of land and environmental defenders (LEDs) shows that in 2019, the highest number of LEDs were killed in a single year to date.

Indigenous peoples, who comprise less than 5% of the world's population and protect 80% of its biodiversity, are disproportionately affected by attacks, with 40% of killings tracked by Global Witness occurring in indigenous communities.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre tracked 570 attacks (incl. non-lethal) against defenders focused on business-related activities in 2019. Among these attacks, approximately 40% were found to be related to the mining (143) and agribusiness (85) sectors. Official government information on these attacks is incomplete or missing, and investigations are almost non-existent, leading to very high levels of impunity. Underlying these attacks are state development strategies that prioritize resource extraction and profit over sustainable development and respect for human rights and growing competition for natural resources in the context of climate breakdown.

The essential contribution of land and environmental defenders to protecting the earth often goes unseen or deliberately ignored. Instead, these communities and individuals are branded ‘enemies of development’ and attacked by both government forces and business. In the recent years, various coalitions have emerged to collectively strengthen the protection of LEDs. This page gathers the latest news on attacks against land and environmental defenders, actions by civil society campaigns and coalitions to counter this trend, company implementation of commitments in this area, and guidance for governments, companies, and investors.