LONDON & SRINAGAR, September 19 (IPS) – At least 146 land and environmental defenders were murdered or forcibly disappeared in 2024 for standing up against powerful state and corporate interests, according to a new report released by Global Witness.
The findings[1], published under the title Roots of Resistance, expose a persistent global crisis that has claimed 2,253 lives since 2012, and show that violence against those protecting land, forests, and communities continues with little sign of justice.
Although the 2024 figure is lower than the 196 killings recorded in 2023, Global Witness cautions that this does not represent progress. Instead, it reflects chronic underreporting, difficulties in verifying cases in conflict zones, and a climate of fear that silences victims’ families and communities.
Latin America: The Epicenter of Attacks
The report shows that 82 percent of documented killings took place in Latin America. Colombia once again topped the global list, with 48 killings accounting for nearly a third of all cases worldwide. The victims were mostly community leaders, Indigenous defenders, and small-scale farmers confronting mining, agribusiness, and organized crime.
Despite government pledges of reform, Colombia’s weak state presence in former conflict zones has allowed armed groups and criminal networks to dominate. This has created a deadly environment for activists who resist environmental destruction.
Mexico followed with 19 cases, including 18 killings and one disappearance. It marked the second most lethal year for Mexican defenders in the past decade. Brazil recorded 12 killings, half of them small-scale farmers.
The most alarming rise was seen in Guatemala, where killings spiked from four in 2023 to 20 in 2024, giving the country the highest per capita murder rate for defenders worldwide. This escalation took place despite the election of President Bernardo Arévalo, who had promised to curb corruption and inequality.
“Eighty-two percent of recorded attacks in 2024 were in Latin America, where we have consistently seen the highest proportion of cases for over a decade,” said Laura Furones[2], Senior Advisor at Global Witness and one of the report’s authors, in an interview with Inter Press Service. “Killings were concentrated in four countries, which together accounted for around 70 percent of the murders: Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Brazil.”
According to Furones, Latin America’s rich natural resources, combined with strong civil society movements and widespread impunity, make it both a hotspot for extraction-related conflicts and for reporting of violence. “High levels of impunity mean there is little disincentive for violence to stop,” she said.
Who Are the Victims?
The report found clear patterns in who is most targeted. In 2024, 45 Indigenous defenders and 45 small-scale farmers were killed or disappeared[3]. Together, they made up nearly two-thirds of all cases.
These killings are closely linked to profit-driven industries. Mining was identified as the deadliest sector, connected to 29 killings. Logging was tied to eight deaths, agribusiness to four. Organized crime was implicated in nearly a third of all attacks, often working with or tolerated by state forces.
State actors themselves, including police and military, were linked to 17 killings. In Colombia, only 5.2 percent of murders of social leaders since 2002 have been resolved in court, leaving the intellectual authors of the crimes almost untouched.
“Impunity fuels this cycle of violence,” the report notes. “Without justice, perpetrators feel emboldened to repeat attacks.”
Documenting Violence in Hostile Environments
Global Witness compiles its data through a systematic process of reviewing public information, analyzing datasets, and collaborating with local and regional organizations in more than 20 countries. Each case must be verified by credible sources with detailed information about the victim and the link to land or environmental defense.
Still, Furones acknowledged that many attacks go undocumented, particularly in authoritarian states, regions with limited civil society, or conflict zones. “These figures are likely underestimates,” she said.
Personal Stories Behind the Numbers
Beyond the statistics, the report highlights individual defenders whose struggles illustrate the human cost of the crisis.
In Nigeria, the Ekuri community[4] has spent decades protecting one of West Africa’s last tropical rainforests. Activists like Louis Friday, Martins Egot, and Odey Oyama face threats from armed loggers and corrupt officials. Oyama was arrested in January 2025 by a masked police squad and charged with “promoting inter-communal war,” a crime that carries a life sentence. He says the charges are retaliation for his conservation work.
In Chile, 72-year-old Mapuche leader Julia Chufil disappeared[5] in November 2024 while fighting to reclaim ancestral land from forestry companies. She had faced harassment and bribery offers for years. Her family, leading the search for her, say authorities have treated them as suspects rather than victims.
In Colombia, campesino leader Jani Silva[6] has been under state protection for over a decade due to death threats tied to her defense of the Perla Amazónica Peasant Reserve. While protection measures have kept her alive, Silva describes them as isolating and burdensome, underscoring the inadequacy of current mechanisms.
Expanding Tactics of Repression
The report stresses that lethal attacks represent only the most visible form of violence. Defenders face a spectrum of threats including harassment, sexual violence, smear campaigns, and criminalization.
“Of particular concern is the rising trend of criminalization, as restrictive laws are increasingly enacted worldwide to make peaceful protest a crime,” Furones said.
She added that toxic anti-defender narratives, combined with Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation[7] (SLAPPs), further erode protections.
Authorities in several countries have adopted laws specifically targeting protestors, intensifying crackdowns on land and climate activists. “States are unwilling to protect those who stand up for rights,” Furones said. “Instead, they use the law as a weapon against them.”
A Global Failure of Protection
The report warns that international agreements designed to safeguard defenders are being weakened. Nearly 1,000 defenders have been killed in Latin America since the adoption of the Escazú Agreement [8]in 2018, which was meant to ensure their protection.
Global Witness calls for urgent action from governments and businesses. States must recognize land rights, strengthen laws against corporate abuse, and build effective protection mechanisms. Companies must respect Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, conduct rigorous human rights due diligence, and adopt zero-tolerance policies for attacks on defenders.
Indigenous Peoples are identified as especially vulnerable, living across 90 countries and managing more than a third of Earth’s protected land. Research shows Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities achieve better conservation outcomes than many official protected zones. Yet they often defend their territories with little state support, while their voices are excluded from decision-making.
“Particular protection of Indigenous Peoples requires breaking the cycle of violence,” Furones said. “This means respecting their right to self-determination and ending impunity.”
She cited the recent sentencing of illegal loggers in Peru for the murder of four Indigenous Saweto[9] leaders as a rare but important example of accountability. “It shows the judiciary can play a role, even if justice comes only after a long and painful wait.”
Protection Mechanisms: Lifelines With Limits
State protection measures for defenders vary widely, from providing bulletproof vests and security escorts to emergency relocations. However, most programs are designed for individuals, not communities, despite the collective nature of defenders’ work.
As the case of Jani Silva[10] shows, these measures can protect lives but also isolate defenders from their communities and impose psychological costs. Global Witness calls for expanding and improving protection systems to meet collective needs.
The Road Ahead
The report concludes that defenders remain at the frontline of protecting ecosystems and confronting the climate crisis, yet are increasingly under siege. Without stronger protections and accountability, the risks they face will persist.
Furones stressed that breaking the cycle of violence requires political will, robust legal systems, and corporate responsibility. “Study after study shows Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendant communities are the best guardians of forests and natural resources,” she said. “Protecting them is not just about human rights; it is also about protecting the planet.”
Furthermore, the Roots of Resistance report has laid stress on the fact that while governments and corporations profit from resource extraction, those who safeguard the environment pay with their lives. The global community now faces a choice and that is to strengthen protections and enforce accountability, or allow the cycle of violence to continue unchecked.
IPS UN Bureau Report
© Inter Press Service (20250919105646) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service[11]
References
- ^ The findings (globalwitness.org)
- ^ Laura Furones (www.climateone.org)
- ^ In 2024, 45 Indigenous defenders and 45 small-scale farmers were killed or disappeared (globalwitness.org)
- ^ Ekuri community (www.iccaregistry.org)
- ^ 72-year-old Mapuche leader Julia Chufil disappeared (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ campesino leader Jani Silva (colombiasupport.net)
- ^ Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (en.wikipedia.org)
- ^ Escazú Agreement (treaties.un.org)
- ^ Peru for the murder of four Indigenous Saweto (globalwitness.org)
- ^ Jani Silva (peacebrigades.org)
- ^ Original source: Inter Press Service (www.ipsnews.net)
- ^ 146 Land and Environmental Defenders Killed or Disappeared in 2024 (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Frontline of a Planetary Emergency: Africa Demands Climate Justice and Action (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Outsourcing Cruelty: Trump’s Mass Deportation Machine (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ New Report Investigates Violence Against Women and Girls Through Surrogacy, Sparks Global Dialogue (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ World Leaders Should Commit to Human Rights, International Justice (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Afghanistan quake: Rescuers dodge dangers, women and girls face disaster, warns UN (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Gender Equality: The Key to Peace, Prosperity, and Sustainability (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ A Meeting of Over 150 World Leaders Under One Roof—& the Day UN Came Under a Terror Attack (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Nepal’s Gen Z protest: How Fake News Tried to Rewrite a Revolution (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ Voices of the world gather at the UN: What you need to know about UNGA80 (www.globalissues.org)
- ^ 146 Land and Environmental Defenders Killed or Disappeared in 2024 (www.globalissues.org)