At Least One Environmental Activist is Killed Every Week

Written by Brian Merchant

We rich nation-dwelling greens are often unawares, at least on a visceral level, to just how dangerous practicing activism in more corrupt countries can be. And we respect the boldness of figures like Tim DeChristopher, who’s now serving a two-year jail sentence for disrupting a land auction, and rightfully so, but we likely can’t name a single one of the many Brazilian environmentalists who’ve been killed trying to halt deforestation in the rain forest.

Underlining this grim truth is a new report from Global Witness, which finds that it’s more dangerous than ever to be an environmental activist. The study finds that in 2011, environmentalists worldwide were killed at an average rate of one per week.

The Guardian reports:

The death toll of campaigners, community leaders and journalists involved in the protection of forests, rivers and land has risen dramatically in the past three years, said Global Witness. Brazil – the host of the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development – has the worst record for danger in a decade that has seen the deaths of more than 365 defenders, said the briefing, which was released on the eve of the high-level segment of the Earth Summit …

“This trend points to the increasingly fierce global battle for resources…” said Billy Kyte, campaigner at Global Witness.

What’s more, the report is presumed to be conservative, due to the difficulty of obtaining stats on murder victims and the ambiguity that often surrounds their deaths.

There’s already quite a legacy of environmental activists placing their lives on the line, and the list of martyrs is already too long. The story of Chico Mendes, for instance, is one of the most gut-wrenching and inspiring on the books. But this developing trend towards even more violence—and what lays at the root of the tumult—is something we should all be watching closely and with trepidation.

This post was originally published by TreeHugger.

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Kelly R.

9:32PM PDT on Jun 25, 2012

To the activists your death will not be in vein.

June 25
send a green star

9:30PM PDT on Jun 25, 2012

To the family of the killed activist, So Sorry For Your Lose

Tammy K.

9:48AM PDT on Jun 24, 2012

So very disturbing!

June 24
send a green star

Edo F.

11:43AM PDT on Jun 23, 2012

If they are killing activists than they certainly must be on the right path towards exposing these tyrants, and they must know that what they're doing is wrong (and often illegal) if they feel the need to eradicate the threat of being exposed.

June 23
send a green star

Cheryl B.

5:10AM PDT on Jun 23, 2012

scary

Nick L.

1:23AM PDT on Jun 23, 2012

I USED TO SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH ONE, REMEMBER SONNY BONO?

Navpreet K.

6:59PM PDT on Jun 22, 2012

Activism is a choice for people who realize what needs to be improved. Everyone is an inner activist because we all have things we try to improve. If an environmentalist die at a rate of one per week, then maybe the world isn't ready for them. Moreover, is that fact even true. The article states, "What’s more, the report is presumed to be conservative, due to the difficulty of obtaining stats on murder victims and the ambiguity that often surrounds their deaths." I think this is just an attempt to put false doubt in the air. The environmental movement has been started and won't end until the earth is cared for!