Environmental killings are murders, assassinations, or other unlawful killings which are linked to environmental issues such as illegal logging, mining, land grabbing, pollution etc. Victims have included not only environmental and land rights activists, but also members of indigenous communities and journalists who have reported on these issues.Global Witness. 2014. Deadly Environment. The dramatic rise of killings of environmental and land defenders 1.1.2012-31.12.2013. Global Witness, London., retrieved 16 July 2014Revkin, A. When Journalists Are Dying to Expose Environmental Plunder. New York Times.17 September 2012, retrieved 16 April 2014Reporters Without Borders. 2009. The Dangers for Journalists Who Report Environmental Issues. Paris. September 2009 , retrieved 16 April 2014
Statements
In 2003, the Environmental Justice Foundation reported that in at least 11 countries people had been murdered for opposing shrimp farming and its associated environmental impacts.EJF.2003. Smash & Grab: Conflict, Corruption and Human Rights Abuses in the Shrimp Farming Industry. Environmental Justice Foundation, London, UK, retrieved 16 April 2014
According to Global Witness, the number of environmental killings worldwide reached 147 in 2012, and the total number of such murders between 2002 and 2013 exceeds 908. In only six of these cases were the killers tried, convicted and punished. The report blames this level of impunity, together with the lack of attention to the issue, for the rise in the numbers of deaths.
In March 2014, when the United Nations Independent Expert on human rights and the environment, John Knox, presented his first detailed report to the UN Human Rights Council on the human rights obligations relating to environmental protection he stated: “Environmental human rights defenders deserve no less protection than other human rights defenders.”United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2014. UN expert urges States to take into account human rights obligations in their environmental policies. 11 March 2014., retrieved 16 April 2014
List of killings Following is a list of the victims of environmental killings by date:
20th century Date Activist name Country Cause July 8, 1905 Guy Bradley United States Birds protectionThen and Now | Wise InternationalNovember 3, 1942Ernest GibbinsUgandaEntomologist killed by tribesmenJuly 31, 1977 Vital Michalon France killed by police in a demonstration against the fast breeder nuclear reactor at Malville June 3, 1979 Gladys del Estal Spain Anti-nuclear ecologist activist killed by a Civil Guardsman during a demonstration against a nuclear power plant and an aircraft firing range. July 21, 1980 Wilson Pinheiro Brazil Preservation of the Amazon rainforestMay 13, 1985John Africa, Rhonda Africa, Theresa Africa, Frank Africa, Conrad Africa, Tree Africa, Delisha Africa, Netta Africa, Little Phil Africa, Tomaso Africa, and Raymond AfricaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United StatesPolice bombing of MOVE (racial and environmental justice) organization headquarters July 10, 1985 Fernando Pereira New Zealand Protest against nuclear testing Dian Fossey Rwanda Mountain gorilla conservationist April 6, 1987 Vicente Cañas Brazil Protection of Enawene Nawe people land December 22, 1988 Chico Mendes Preservation of the Amazon rainforestAugust 20, 1989George AdamsonKenyaConservationist most recognized for his work on lions 1 September 1990 Seub Nakhasathien Thailand Suicide to signify the importance of the environment February 6, 1995 Jeannette Kawas Honduras Protests again palm plantations and dams November 10, 1995 Ken Saro-Wiwa Nigeria nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation caused by crude oil extraction
21st century In the 21st century, more than 1000 environmental activists have been killed. Every year, more than 100 environmental activists are murdered throughout the world. 116 environmental activists were assassinated in 2014. More than two environmentalists were assassinated every week in 2014 and three every week in 2015. 185 environmental activists were assassinated in 2015. More than 200 environmental activists were assassinated worldwide between 2016 and 2018. In 2019 and 2020 the number was 212 and 227 respectively.
Date Activist name Country Cause September 17, 2003 Jane Tipson Saint Lucia Conservationist and animal rights activism. 12 February 2005 Dorothy Stang Brazil Preservation of the Amazon rainforest13 January 2006Joan RootKenyaAnti-poaching task force2010 Leonard Co Philippines Botanist and plant taxonomist shot by the military during a biodiversity project in a forest. January 24, 2011 Gerry Ortega Crocodile farming, anti-corruption, sustainable ecotourism, and anti-mining advocate. May 24, 2011 José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva Brazil Preservation of the Amazon rainforest 16 August 2011 Shehla Masood India RTI and environmental activism 26 April 2012 Chut Wutty Cambodia Critic of the military's alleged role in illegal logging 11 September 2012 Hang Serei Odom Reports about illegal logging industry 13 March 2013 Perween Rahman Pakistan May 31, 2013 Jairo Mora Sandoval Costa Rica Protection of leatherback turtle nestsApril 9, 2015Gregory "Gibby" Leonard GibbardZimbabweProtection of African painted dogs 25 August 2015 Raimundo Santos Rodrigues (and his wife) Brazil Environmental rights defender. Between 6 and 9 November 2015 Lkhagvasumberel Tumursukh Mongolia Snow leopard conservationist 13 October 2016 Luiz Alberto Araújo Brazil Secretary for the environment on Altamira city council 3 March 2016 Berta Cáceres Honduras Protests against the construction of Agua Zarca Dam.16 August 2017Wayne LotterTanzaniaWildlife conservationist4 February 2018Esmond Bradley MartinKenyaElephants and ivory trade 2 November 2019 Paulo Paolino Guajajara Brazil Amazon Protector January 2020 Homero Gómez González Mexico Environmental activist, agricultural engineer, and politician. El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Preserve October 2020 Fikile Ntshangase South Africa Environmental activist involved in a legal dispute over the extension of an opencast mine operated by Tendele Coal near Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, the oldest nature reserve in Africa.26 July 2022Anton MzimbaTimbavati Private Nature Reserve ranger 18 January 2023 Manuel Esteban Paez Terán United States Environmental activist involved in Stop Cop City social movement to prevent construction of the Cop City by the Atlanta Police Foundation and the City of Atlanta. 29 September 2023 Quinto Inuma Alvarado Peru Tribal leader who opposed illegal logging in his community
See also
Anti-environmentalism Green criminology Environmental activist killings in Honduras Environmental crime
Environmentalism Environmental activist Environmental degradation Goldman Environmental Prize Illegal logging Pollution
References