More and more environmentalists are paying with their lives for nature, clean water and the land rights of indigenous groups. Last year, 212 environmental activists were killed worldwide, the non-governmental organization Global Witness said.
- Accordingly, over two thirds of all cases were registered in Latin America. The organization assumes that the actual number of environmentalists killed is significantly higher.
- According to the NGO, the acts of violence are mostly companies, farmers and sometimes also state actors as well as criminal gangs, paramilitary groups and rebels. "Agriculture, oil, gas and mining are causing violence against environmentalists – those are the industries that are also fueling climate change through deforestation and emissions," said Rachel Cox of Global Witness.
- Colombia tops the list with 64 cases of fatal violence against environmental activists, followed by the Philippines with 43 cases.
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