Global Watchdog Counts 124 Slain Environmental Activists in 2025
A new report from Global Witness documents at least 124 murders of environmental defenders last year, with land conflicts linked to over half of the killings and Indigenous people accounting for roughly one-third of victims. Latin America remained the deadliest region, led by Colombia with 39 deaths and Brazil with 26, while the Philippines recorded 12 killings. The report also warns that cuts to foreign aid from wealthy nations have weakened human rights groups that support these defenders.
The report’s geographic focus underscores persistent dangers in Latin America, where Colombia and Brazil together account for over half of all recorded killings. In Colombia, coca cultivation tied to drug trafficking has intensified land disputes, while Brazil’s Amazon frontier sees illegal miners, loggers, and ranchers encroaching on rainforest territory. Indigenous peoples represent roughly one-third of victims, reflecting their frontline role in defending communal lands.
Beyond direct violence, the report highlights how reduced foreign aid—particularly from the U.S.—has undercut human rights organizations that provide legal and protective support to defenders. The Philippines remains Asia’s deadliest country, with 12 killings amid military crackdowns, while Indonesia criminalizes activism and Russia and Central Asian states use online smear campaigns against opponents.
This report could sharpen international scrutiny of funding cuts, as weakened civil-society groups may leave defenders more exposed to violence. Governments in affected regions may face pressure to investigate killings, though political will varies. The concentration of deaths in Latin America suggests that commodity-driven land conflicts remain a systemic trigger, potentially influencing corporate supply-chain policies and donor priorities. Society at large may see heightened awareness of Indigenous land rights as a conservation issue, though tangible protections likely depend on local enforcement and diplomatic leverage.