Forests along the shores of the Kitlope River. Photograph Source: Sam Beebe – CC BY 2.0

Land and environmental defenders—Indigenous leaders, farmers, conservationists, and community activists—risk their lives opposing the destructive exploitation of natural resources. Global Witness defines them as people who “take a stand… against the unjust, discriminatory, corrupt or damaging exploitation of natural resources or the environment.” Often described as the planet’s last line of defense, they protest, document, and litigate against illegal logging, mining, and pollution—frequently at grave personal risk.

The Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia illustrates this work. Heiltsuk leaders emphasize that their ancestral land is part of one of the largest intact temperate rainforests in the world, home to iconic species and a crucial carbon sink. Protecting such forests preserves biodiversity and climate stability, highlighting the global importance of local action. Yet defenders often pay a high price: coalition reports describe their work as increasingly perilous and frequently met with escalating violence.

“Standing up to injustice should never be a death sentence,” said Laura Furones, lead author of the 2025 Global Witness annual report, “Roots of Resistance.” The authors report that in 2024, at least 146 land and environmental defenders were killed or forcibly disappeared while protecting their land, communities, or the environment. Furones added that defenders “are being hunted, harassed, and killed—not for breaking laws, but for defending life itself.”

Global Scale of Violence

The dangers facing defenders are widespread and persistent. Since reporting began in 2012, Global Witness estimates that at least 2,253 defenders have been killed or disappeared. Latin America remains the deadliest region, accounting for roughly 82 percent of killings in 2024: Colombia reported 48 deaths, Guatemala 20, Mexico 18, and Brazil 12. The violence is linked to land disputes, mining, agribusiness, and organized crime.

Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected. Although they make up only six percent of the global population, they account for roughly one-third of defenders killed or targeted worldwide. Their ancestral lands are rich in biodiversity and natural resources, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Beyond lethal violence, many governments and corporations employ non-lethal tactics to silence defenders: arbitrary arrests, abusive lawsuits, intimidation campaigns, and forced disappearances. These strategies aim to discredit and exhaust activists while avoiding international scrutiny.

The risks vary geographically. In Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines and Indonesia, defenders face surveillance, criminalization, and harassment when opposing extractive industries or government-backed projects. In Africa, Indigenous and rural communities resist exploitation of forests or mining areas, but weak legal systems leave them vulnerable. Even in some developed nations, defenders of peaceful activism face harassment and lawsuits aimed at curtailing their efforts.

Drivers of the Crisis and Legal Context

Systemic threats encompass both economic and legal factors. Large-scale industries—including mining, logging, agribusiness, and oil extraction—prioritize profit over environmental protection and........

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